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Oren Peli is a little obsessed with people going places they don’t belong. Whether it’s the poor travelers in “The Chernobyl Diaries” or the treacherous journey of TV’s “ The River ,” both of which Peli wrote, the filmmaker has an undeniable interest in those who see the well-defined border, cross it, and suffer the consequences. It’s somewhat ironic that the series for which Peli will likely always be most associated is about people who never leave their home. In 2007, “ Paranormal Activity ” not only launched a franchise (a SIXTH film called “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” is coming out this year, and Peli has been producer on all of them) but essentially spun off another one as Peli tweaked his haunted house formula and produced the “ Insidious ” films as well. Peli is a horror icon and yet, until today, only one film he has ever directed appeared in theaters. Eight years later, through ridiculous post-production delays and reshoots, “Area 51” is finally here, perhaps trying to avoid the appellation of sophomore slump by taking so long to get to theaters and being relatively unceremoniously released in select theaters and on VOD. Nice try.

Of course, like “Paranormal Activity,” most of “Area 51” looks like DIY, found-footage material, although the film so quickly fails the Why Would They Film That test that it’s best to just consider it a cinematographic choice (like Dogme 95) instead of trying to figure out who’s holding the camera and why. To that end, the shaky-cam, found-footage thing likely wasn’t as played out when Peli started filming “Area 51” in 2009, and the aesthetic here isn’t quite as annoying as it sometimes can be in “Paranormal Activity” wannabes. You won’t need Dramamine.

Three dude-bros go to a party; one dude-bro goes missing. He pops up, horror movie-style, in front of the car of his leaving buddies, not quite looking the same. Three months later, the man-children plan a trip to Vegas, where they will meet someone who will help them infiltrate the legendary Area 51, the Nevada government complex rumored for decades to house proof of alien life. Of course, they need a stop-off at the Hooters Casino first. Before you know it, they’re using night vision cameras and breaking into places they shouldn’t be.

Well, not exactly before you know it. “Area 51” is essentially what we call a Slow Burn horror film, in that most of the bulk of the running time consists of preparation. They talk about the titular location way more than anything else. And there’s a disturbing amount of prep to do—scenes of the boys getting their materials together, scouting the location, dealing with security and eventual knocks on their door in the middle of the night. There’s no tension or action for the longest time and "Area 51" might have been better served as a short film or episode of an anthology series in that the entire first-hour of set-up could have been cut to five minutes. In one mildly entertaining interlude, the film echoes “ Willow Creek ” a bit when the boys start talking to locals about the alien legend (a la the way Bobcat Goldthwait plays with mythology in the first two acts of his bigfoot film), but Peli isn’t as skilled a filmmaker and the characters here are so paper-thin that I just watched the movie and I’m not sure I could pick them out of a line-up.

Eventually, they get where they’re going and there’s lots of whispering (“ Let’s keep moving ”) but very little actual threat. When they find a lab with weird blobby things and floating rocks, things start to get more interesting, but that’s not until the hour-mark. Sorry, spoiler I guess, but I’m not sure if it’s really a spoiler if it’s the first interesting thing that happens in a movie. To be fair, the slow burn does eventually catch fire and there’s lots of screaming and heavy breathing and dark tunnels and running and what-not. The relatively tense final half-hour is clearly the reason that very smart producer Jason Blum thought this would be a solid follow-up to “Paranormal Activity.” It’s that first hour that is the reason it took six years to (barely) get released.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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10 best movies that feature area 51.

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Star wars' new movie is already breaking new ground... two years before its release, stephen king approved 2024 horror finally comes to streaming next month.

We're already long past August and September is fast approaching. Any other year and that month would have mean nothing but 2019 is special. Because come September 20, 2019, a horde of inane Naruto enthusiasts will come charging ninja-style to Nevada's not-so-secret Area 51 airbase (if they're lucky). It's going to be gloriously meme-able.

Now, if you're joining the suicide charge or are simply there for the tent party, you ought to be prepared for what to expect. Area 51 has become the stuff of legend in the eyes of filmmakers; plenty of them have incorporated the initially secret US military base. These films range from laughable to dramatic or even "historically accurate". So before you go Naruto-running off to Nevada, check out these ten popular films featuring Area 51.

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BOB LAZAR DOCUMENTARIES

For those of you who want to take your Area 51 a little too seriously-- obsessively even, you might want to make Bob Lazar your patron saint. He's an eccentric businessman and pyrotechnician (two of the most American jobs ever) who made two documentaries regarding his research about the hidden secrets of Area 51.

The first film is a short named Lazar: Cosmic Whistleblower and the follow up is named Bob Lazar: Area 51 & Flying Saucers. Both of these films are a conspiracy theorist's heaven. They include alleged "alien spacecraft" footage from Lazar himself who also claimed to have captured their existence on film on the Area 51 vicinity itself. Also, don't forget the space cakes for these documentaries, you're gonna need them.

If found footage fiction format more your speed? Then look no further than Area 51 . It's a 2015 horror film from the director of Paranormal Activity which means it's shot in a vomit-inducing first-person perspective. As such, you're seeing all the suspense and mysteries of a fetishized Area 51 through the eyes of the protagonists (more like victims, really).

In Area 51, a bunch of conspiracy theorists trespasses the famed Area 51 in Nevada. Initially, they had hoped to find some alien secrets but got more than they bargained for. After all, it was a military base... one that appears to have no cameras and whose employees are all deaf or blind. You'll understand when-- if you see the film.

Want a rough idea of what would happen to anyone who tries to infiltrate or steal from Area 51? Perhaps 51 Nevada from 2018 can help you. It paints Area 51 and the surrounding area of the place in a grim and scary picture. In 51 Nevada , all sorts of mysterious disappearance and crimes suddenly start taking place near Area 51.

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Still, that didn't prevent a group of friends from visiting and camping the outskirts of the military base. Afterward, they start encountering some weird phenomenon and flying objects; this somehow leads to their being captured by the authorities.

Boy, these titles are getting less creative don't they? Just like filmmakers' ideas for an Area 51 horror film. Anyway, next in this list is another mockumentary horror film which also takes itself too seriously. 51 from 2011 is a similar film to Area 51 except with a more casual cast (to say the least) and a different take on the thriller narrative.

It follows the journey of a group of college students who are out to uncover the secrets of Area 51 (again). Additionally, the film is also interwoven with some actual real-life footage and commentaries about the implications of Area 51's secrets to mankind if it ever turns out that what some people suspect about the area is true.

Project 12 gets rid of the civilian interlopers altogether and pits competent military servicemen against Area 51. The 12-part documentary follows the story of anonymous military personnel. They were assigned to a secret project at "Nevada Test Site" back in 1962-- a place which eventually became Area 51.

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As such, it's a new take on the Area 51 suspense sub-genre; it happens in the relatively distant past and explores the foundations of the notorious and enigmatic fictionalized military base. Oh, of course, aliens and other weird stuff straight out of the X-Files also take place in Project 12 .

ALIEN DOMICILE

The protagonist of 2017's Alien Domicile unwittingly achieved what many of us wanted. They got inside Area 51-- only they don't know how; all of them simply woke up inside the military base. Moreover, that's not the end of the mystery. Apparently, they are now sharing the place with a violent and murderous alien trapped inside the facility.

It's pretty much Ridley Scott's Alien movie in terms of premise. This one's indie though and has the technical chops and quality to look decent enough... at least more so than similar B-movies like Sharknado . However, if you watch one of those "so bad it's good" films, then you might find joy in this.

RETURN TO AREA 51

When it comes to portraying Area 51, it's pretty obvious that most horror films take an unlimited amount of liberties about the place. As it is, Area 51 is nothing more than one of the largest air bases in the world. It's a place where the US air force goes out to test all its experimental aircraft.

At least that's according Discovery channel's full-length documentary, Return to Area 51 . It's a no-nonsense non-fiction account on Area 51 and its employees. For many, it might be a buzzkill since Discovery channel never scratched below the surface, right? In any case, don't go in expecting aliens, this documentary is all about US air force technology.

ANGRY VIDEO GAME NERD THE MOVIE

Storming Area 51 is all about a light-hearted fun and gathering in one of the most fictionalized areas in the world. Obviously, it shouldn't be taken seriously or as a threat. So to wash off that scary alien abduction and horror palate from the previous films is an indie passion project from a YouTuber, Angry Video Game Nerd.

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His film, aptly titled Angry Video Game Nerd The Movie follows the web celebrities shenanigans after him and his friends discover a hidden map to Area 51's underground facilities in an E.T. video game. It best represents what's going to happen on September 20 in Area 51 in Nevada.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

Cheeky Will Smith? Check. Eccentric Jeff Goldblum? Check. White House explosion? Check. Oh yes, Area 51 is also included here and was even instrumental in defeating the aliens. It's also where the U.S. president and base of operations migrated after the aliens bombed everything.

Independence Day might have been a messy hodge-podge of alien film tropes, but at least it's entertaining. Also, Jeff Goldblum defeating the aliens from Area 51 is the best thing that's ever happened in sci-fi history regardless of the film's virus logic. Hey, it was a pretty advanced idea back then, okay?

ZERO DARK THIRTY

Area 51's historical importance goes beyond pop culture and alien conspiracy theories. It is also became a base of operations for one of the most delicate military operations in U.S. history: the assassination of Osama Bin Laden. Such use for the military facility was shown in Zero Dark Thiry. The film is based on the real-life Navy Seal operation to kill Bin Laden.

Since Area 51 is a haven for experimental aircraft, it housed the stealth helicopters used in the operation. For the sake of film liberty and pacing, the briefing also took place in the Area 51 hangar. Of course, the film doesn't show the jetpacks or the aliens; there are none since Area 51 is just an airbase... or is it?

NEXT: 10 Best Movie Aliens, Ranked

Area 51 (2015)

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[Review] ‘Area 51’ Tapes Should Have Stayed Hidden

In 2009 Oren Peli’s Paranormal Activity became a monster indie success, propelling him to director stardom. Before the film had even left theaters he was abducted by IM Global to get behind the camera for the top secret Area 51 , about a group of kids (Sandra Staggs, Roy Abramsohn, David Saucedo, Glenn Campbell, and Jelena Nik) who break into the infamous Nevada Military Base.

After years of “tinkering” (test screenings, reshoots, new edits, etc.), Paramount Insurge has finally uploaded the footage that has become as much a lore in the horror community as the actual Area 51. The footage, while ambitious beyond belief, crashes pretty hard into the desert sand.

I was beyond excited after seeing the trailer as it looked like something right up my alley (I’m not only a found-footage sympathizer, but I love conspiracy theories and aliens). The concept was rock solid, and the set up was believable enough that it looked like it could finally be the first scary alien-horror film since Fire In the Sky .

Unfortunately, Area 51 is nothing more than a clunky mess of shaky-cam footage that looks as if the film’s editor just gave up.

What was so exciting in the trailer, is an elongated snooze-fest of exposition in the film. Peli spends a lot of time explaining how these kids are going to break into Area 51. It sells the premise, surprisingly well, but feels like chunks of wasted exposition. It’s boring.

But I kept telling myself that it’s all to sell the believability of the final act inside the elusive Area 51. But herein lies the problem, what happens inside the base is impossible to relate to (trying to keep this spoiler free), thus rendering the entire third act impotent.

Again, Peli does a remarkable job of selling the locations, especially the inside of the base, but all of the “alien stuff” crashes so hard it makes me wonder if it’s even possible to truly make an alien movie that’s both scary and realistic.

(Obvious spoiler) Area 51 delivers on its premise and promise of aliens, but ultimately the CGI and effects work undo it all. And to make matters worse, the ending is frustratingly obvious, and leaves nothing to the imagination.

I think it’s safe to assume why Paramount never released Area 51 , and frankly maybe they should have kept the tapes a secret for the rest of eternity. The idea of Area 51 seems to be what’s truly frightening about it, not what’s actually going on inside.

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

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New ‘blair witch project’ blu-ray features first-ever restoration from the hi8 tapes & 16mm film elements.

The found footage horror classic The Blair Witch Project is returning to Blu-ray with a new release from UK company Second Sight , and it’s set to be a first-of-its-kind offering.

The 2-Disc Limited Edition set includes a new Second Sight Films restoration from the Hi8 videotapes and 16mm film elements, supervised and approved by the Producers and Directors, which presents The Blair Witch Project as it was meant to be seen for the very first time.

The Blair Witch Project production designer Ben Rock explains over on Twitter, “ If you’re a fan of The Blair Witch Project , this edition is a first of its kind. The original sources have been re-digitized including a first-ever proper transfer of the 16mm . And there’s a new doc by Jed Shepherd interviewing all of us who made the film.”

“The version you’ve seen was transferred (hi-8 & 16mm) to BetaSP in 1997, edited in standard def, output to 35mm from SD, and that was the 35mm print. The DVD and Blu-ray besides this new edition was a video transfer from that 35mm print. This is the best version,” Rock adds.

Producer Mike Monello explains in his own thread, “This is the FIRST (and for the immediate time being) the ONLY edition of the film to be properly transferred for home video release. It finally looks the way it did to us when we were editing the film. The way we wanted it to look.”

“Over the last 25 years, the film has felt unfinished to me… as a true “found footage” experience, it now looks the way it always should have,” Monello continues in his thread.

Here’s the full rundown for the REGION B release from Second Sight Films…

Special Features 

• A new Second Sight Films restoration from the Hi8 videotapes and 16mm film elements, supervised and approved by the Producers and Directors
• 2-disc edition includes restored and remastered Original Theatrical Cut and Festival Cut plus original-release version
• The Blair Witch Documentary: a new feature-length Second Sight Films production
• New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson
• Directors’ and Producers’ audio commentary
• Deleted scenes including previously unseen video and 16mm footage
• The Blair Witch Project: Analogue Horror in a Digital World by Mike Muncer
• Curse of the Blair Witch
• Alternate Endings
• Cannes 1999: archive Directors interview

Limited Edition Contents

• Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Timothy Pittides
• 184-page hardback book with archive production materials and new essays by Stacey Abbott, Becky Darke, Adam Hart, Craig Ian Mann, Mary Beth McAndrews,  Dr. Cecilia Sayad, Pete Turner and Heather Wixson
• Heather’s Journal
• 3 collectors’ art cards

The Limited Edition release from Second Sight will be unleashed on November 11.

You can also grab a Standard 2-Disc Edition, detailed here .

“Three film students head into the woodlands of Maryland in search of the Blair Witch, a local legend that has haunted the town of Burkittsville for centuries, as part of a documentary project. They were never seen again. This footage is all that remains of that fateful excursion.”

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‘area 51’: film review.

Oren Peli's long-delayed follow-up to his smash hit "Paranormal Activity" concerns three friends who break into the titular government facility.

By THR Staff

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Area 51 Still - S 2015

Movies that sit on the shelf for years generally don’t age like fine wine. That’s certainly the case with Oren Peli ‘s follow-up to his smash hit Paranormal Activity , which rejuvenated the found-footage horror genre. Finally receiving a belated theatrical release exclusively at Alamo Drafthouse cinemas (and VOD , naturally) six years after it was completed, Area 51 turns out not to have been worth the wait.

The filmmaker has certainly kept busy in the interim, with extensive writing and producing credits, including the Paranormal Activity sequels, the Insidious films, Chernobyl Diaries and the short-lived TV series The River among his credits. But it’s nonetheless a disappointment that this once promising project turns out to be such a dud.

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Again shot in the found-footage style — although there’s no discernible reason, as with so many films of this type, that the proceedings would constantly be recorded — the film concerns three friends who decide to break into the titular government facility that conspiracy theorists have long identified as the government’s secret base for extraterrestrial research.

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The leader of the group is the UFO-obsessed Reid ( Reid Warner ) who convinces his buddies Darrin ( Darrin Bragg ) and Ben ( Ben Rovner ) to accompany him on his mission. Roughly two-thirds of the film’s running time is consumed with their preparations for the raid, which involves such high-tech methods of avoiding detection as Freon-infused body suits, ammonia pills and night-vision goggles. To test out the latter, they naturally stop at a Las Vegas Hooters casino, indulging in some lap dances that provide the film its necessary quotient of nudity.

Helping them in their plans is Jelena ( Jelena Nik ), the daughter of a former Area 51 employee. In order to gain access to the facility, they must break into the home of a janitor working there to steal his key cards, depicted in an elaborate, time-wasting sequence that is once again inexplicably recorded, presumably for posterity.

Once they do manage to get in, evading the patrolling “ camo “-suited guards, things inevitably start going bump in the night, with the group stumbling onto a “twisted playroom” containing toys and dolls and encountering various spectral figures that somehow manage to avoid being clearly seen by the cameras. By the time one of the characters lapses into a mysterious, trance-like state and others are miraculously sucked up into the sky, pretty much every cliche of the genre has been touched upon.

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None of this would matter if the proceedings were remotely scary or suspenseful, but Peli , working from a script co-written by actor Christopher Denham , displays little of the imagination or stylistic flair of his previous effort. Tedious, visually unsatisfying, poorly acted and narratively disjointed, Area 51 is a textbook example of directorial sophomore slump.

Production: Blumhouse Productions, Incentive Filmed Entertainment, Room 101, Solana Films Cast: Reid Warner, Darrin Bragg, Ben Rovner , Jelena Nik Director/director of photography: Oren Peli Screenwriters: Oren Peli , Christopher Denham Producer: Jason Blum Executive producers: Stuart Ford, Amir Zbeda , Matthew Rowland, Oren Peli , Steven Schneider Editors: Blake Maniquis , Jake York Production designer: Patrick Sullivan Costume designer: Amy Brownson Casting: Valerie McCaffrey Rated R, 91 minutes

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Area 51 (2015) [Found Footage]

When it comes to the idea of the Found Footage genre tackling one of America's most controversial conspiracy theories, the thought becomes so exciting it's almost dizzying. With the director of the first - and arguably the best - Paranormal Activity film Oren Peli at the helm of telling a story of breaking into Area 51, all the elements seem to be in order. As evidenced in the first Paranormal Activity , Oren Peli has shown us his demonstration of how Found Footage should be tackled; raw filming style, slow place, and real characters played by daring actors who were willing to improvise most of the script achieving a less polished, more natural tone. Paranormal Activity (remember, the first one) also showed us the possibility of the Found Footage genre and what it can contribute to the horror genre. Unlike the obliged sequels, the first film does not spoon-feed the scares, and plays on audience skepticism with a sense of humor. With the very thought of this same director tackling a much larger, more visceral concept, Oren Peli should have been more prepared. Because not only is the end result unapologetically stupid, but unforgivably generic.

Area 51 spends 70% of the movie building up to something, then abruptly - and annoyingly - ends as though it were interrupted by a YouTube ad. The film opens ahead of the events, with family and friends being interviewed by unknown interviewers about three missing characters. The film cuts a few months back to show us the missing characters on their way to a party. During said party when a blackout occurs, main character Reid goes missing and is found later that night in the middle of nowhere, pale as a ghost. This is supposed to be the catalyst event that leads Reid to become obsessed with Area 51 , however the film offers no explanation to this event whatsoever. Was he abducted by Aliens in the short amount of time he disappeared and re-appeared? Did Aliens communicate to Reid telepathically from the Area 51 base? Is Reid part Alien? Chances are that whatever explanation there was had been planned to be revealed in the final act, but as the final act was so rushed it probably ended up on the cutting room floor. And this is one of the film's biggest problems; not only do a multitude of questions get raised to no answer, but none of the build-up pays off in any way. You'd think the film has a plug to fill the alien-shaped questions it leaves with you, but you're just going to have to imagine the answers because apparently the film doesn't know either.

The film also punches you in the face with how stupid you are, because how can anyone grasp the concept of intelligent life, or the importance of communicating with extraterrestrial beings, or the implications of government cover-ups? Area 51 does not want to step into any of those concepts, and instead bores you with fetish-level alien sets, and a bullshit conclusion which not only leaves most of the film unanswered, but also leaves some serious holes in the films logic. The Aliens are also reduced to drooling monsters who walk around naked killing people, sleep in pods buried in dirt tunnels, and will patiently wait until a character has time to observe it killing someone. Why are the aliens being kept in dirt tunnels? Wouldn't dirt be unhygienic for aliens? Where are the security measures? How are they being monitored from down there? Why would they make it so dark for any human to see where the aliens were? Are they just left there? The list on unanswered questions is so long that one must assume that there was never any answers for them in the first place. The film also does not wish to challenge your knowledge or perception on any of the facts regarding the Area 51 conspiracy (which would have made for a more interesting film); instead it dabbles in re-used concepts like silver UFO's and generic alien creatures - that might be interesting for the casual viewer, but other than that the film offers nothing new.

The build-up to the break in is easily where the film shines; a particularly tense scene wherein the characters must sneak around a house only using night vision and avoiding to wake the sleeping residents. The night vision is used particularly well, and the scene is drawn out with appropriate use of the night vision lens giving the audience a very limited view of the house. The actual sneak-in to the Area 51 base is easily the best scene, wherein the night-vision camera makes a return but this time the characters are in the open avoiding helicopters and motion censors. Prior to this is of course is the characters going into detail about the procedure as well as the consequences of potential failure. This build up is exciting, and adds to the sheer scale and gravity of the characters' expedition. The fun quickly dies once they're inside, as the third act is rushed to its dreadful conclusion. Attention to detail is nigh; some lab-set pieces leave unattended pieces of evidence of extraterrestrial life out in the open, and characters can walk right into the base without caution, or being spotted. Honestly, this film makes M. Night Shyamalan's Signs have more common sense. This film is also no short of cliches. The film borrows the whole "main character is drawn to this location with no explanation" from The Banshee Chapter and As Above, So Below . This film is also jump-scare plenty which kills the suspense that was built up in the first 40 minutes. And as the film tries to create a dark atmosphere, much of the logic is put aside. Which is a shame for a film that has built most of its tension in the realism aspect.

In the end, Area 51 is a half a movie, that has half a concept. Had the third act been more fleshed out there might be something of a decent film here. The first half of the film is easily the best, but it's hard to believe that this is the same director as the first Paranormal Activity , a film which inherently rejected many of the cliche's that appear in this film.

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Area 51 Review

Area 51 – where the hell do I begin? You have to respect Oren Peli for single-handedly redefining the horror landscape with a 10K budget and a haunted video tape ( Paranormal Activity ), an act that led everyone to assume the director would be treated as a golden God on whatever project he decided to tackle next. Unsurprisingly,  Area 51  was announced – an obvious thematic followup. Found footage scares, alien conspiracies and a handful of unknowns who run around the Neveda desert? Hell, Peli was able to accomplish unspeakable bouts of terror by using an invisible monster, now he’d actually have evil creatures to play with! Blumhouse fanatics immediately started salivating based on Peli’s concept alone.

But then uncertainty set in. Years passed with no updates on the Area 51 front, Peli kept producing and writing other projects ( The River ), and not even Jason Blum could confirm what the hell Peli was “futzing” with for so damn long. For all intents and purposes, Area 51 looked to be more mysterious than the secret government facility it’s based on – until this May, when Blumhouse dumped the poor bastard as a politician might dispose of a dead hooker. Seriously, it was that heartbreaking to witness – but then I watched the film, and now understand why.

Without all the dressed-up science jargon that makes the “HOW” of Peli’s film mildly amusing (I’ll explain shortly), Area 51  exposes viewers to a non-stop assault of redundant subgenre generics. The story is simple – three people sneak into the famed military location, they stumble upon some government conspiracy and find themselves running for their lives.  Reid Warner,  Darrin Bragg and  Ben Rovner (playing Reid, Darrin, and Ben) are joined by  Jelena Nik (playing Jelena), a girl who can grant them safe passage into the hopeful alien mecca, but escaping becomes the real problem. There’s plenty of shaky camera sprinting, lurking alien shadows and teases at much scarier, more interesting things that never prove to exist.

So, as mentioned, the plan that Reid cooks up (the aforementioned “HOW”) does drop some pretty cool science-y knowledge on the military’s security methods. In order to skirt past thermal cameras used by “camo guys” – aka the base’s security – Reid and the others wear Freon-pumped suits that mask their body heat, in addition to popping Bleomycin pills to fool Ammonia sensors. So, that’s like three minutes out of a 90-minute film that are totally rad. A small victory, perhaps?

Incorrect. There are no small victories for Area 51 , a night-vision-tinted reel of sci-fi stock footage that’s connected by a “story” that makes little to no sense. Peli and his co-writer Christopher Denham get caught on the idea of killer aliens running rampant through underground Area 51 labs, so much so that they forget to explain why the hell we should care about them. Or how they escaped. Or why the hell Reid is showing all the foreshadowed signs of abduction without anyone taking notice.

Oh, and of course by “aliens,” I mean shadows of camera-shy, gangly, grey extraterrestrials who would probably look super-dope if we ever ACTUALLY saw them. You can’t make a found footage movie without all the infuriating tactics that have been pissing genre fans off for almost over a decade now – can you? Area 51 is so dull that it acts as a Neuralizer from Men In Black , erasing the film’s existence from your mind immediately after viewing. There’s not a single repetitive aspect that we haven’t seen used before. Alien Abduction already did the whole “getting sucked into space” angle, Extraterrestrial doesn’t string along possible shots of aliens and Almost Human creates an alien worth fearing – all things that Area 51 fumbles to an embarrassing extent.

One has to wonder what took Peli so long to finish Area 51 , because as it exists, it STILL feels like plenty is missing. Much like a college student who simply gives up on a paper and accepts his mediocre fate, Peli tacks an abrupt ending on the same film that caused over five years of grief and countless days of edits, re-edits, and obvious uncertainty. Even in this “finished” state, Area 51 is not a completed project. Yes, it has a beginning, middle and end, but none of it amounts to more than History Channel conspiracy footage, elongated scenes of suburban break-ins, and a white room only Eric Clapton would enjoy. Area 51 is everything you hate about found footage movies, with none of the payoff. It’s almost like getting abducted and NOT getting an anal probe, amiright?

Area 51 (2015)

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MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Area 51’ Should Remain Off Limits

Film: Area 51 Starring: Ben Rovner, Jelena Nik Directed by: Oren Peli

The premise is good enough: Following a strange encounter after a night of drinking with his two best friends, a young man convinces the same friends to join him on a quest to see what secrets lie on the base of the ever-mysterious Area 51. With the creator of Paranormal Activity at the helm one might expect an evolutionary piece of found footage horror that could possibly push the well-tread sub-genre into new territory, but unfortunately that is not the case. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

For whatever Oren Peli did to bring found footage back into the international spotlight with his blockbuster haunted house franchise he does the reverse with Area 51 , and it’s clear almost from the very beginning of the film. Viewers are first introduced to the three friends at the center of the story in the middle of a late night spent drinking too much and thinking too little. The main character, Ethan (Ben Rovner), also happens to be a bit of a nerd, so he obviously has a few cool camera tricks that helps to explain how these same characters will later sneak around US government security. It’s all empty debauchery, complete with the crew sneaking a camera into a strip club, and it ends with the gang becoming separated at a house party while Ethan wanders off into the surrounding woods by himself, seemingly too drunk to know where he is going.

We next see the friends three months after the opening events, and they are now packing to embark on a trip to Area 51. So far, the story flows fine and there is a lot of potential for madness in the future. It’s once the crew hits the road and begins their journey that the film begins to lose steam. Peli tries to build our knowledge and interest in the base by having the team speak with locals and tourists with a deep affection for otherworldly beings, but it largely plays like amateur documentary work that lacks both focus and anything of interest to share. If you have ever read or seen anything else about Area 51 you have heard the best material from these sequences at least once before, and it’s likely been delivered in a far more convincing manner. The gang also adds a female to the mix around this point, largely for the purpose of adding the possibility for romance or dramatic tension where there would otherwise be three guys doing something stupid.

Once the mission to enter Area 51 begins, the film find its pulse, but only momentarily. Like countless found footage films before it, not to mention the hundreds released between when production began in 2009 and now, Area 51 falls victim to having too much shaky cam, too little narrative amidst its visually distorted offerings, and very little in the form of an actual payoff. There is a twist of course, even two if you want to be gracious, but they only appear after no less than ten minutes of running and screaming in dark rooms or corridors, all from relatively good looking young people who are completely disregarding the fact they’re also holding cameras.

Please understand: I realize that if I were to find myself in a scenario where I suddenly had to run for my life while I was filming something that I would like throw all concern for my video work to the wind, but in terms of delivering a compelling and thrilling narrative in 2015 that particular approach to cinematic storytelling no longer offers satisfactory results, or at least not in this instance. A single steady shot, even from a government security camera (who I presume pieced the footage together), would add untold layers of terror to the story. One would think Peli, a man who has literally made millions off doing nothing more than putting a camera on a tripod, would know to use this approach in his story.

The acting, for what it’s worth, is not entirely terrible. The characters themselves are largely forgettable, but the performances of Ben Rovner and Jelena Nik, in particular, are quite impressive. Both could have great careers in more coherent films, and I definitely want to see each do more in the world of horror.

It doesn’t seem hard to conceive a terrifying and perhaps even jaw-dropping story about a group of passionate, perhaps a bit too curious young people who decide to sneak into a military base for the sole purpose of uncovering one of the most highly-guarded secrets in US history, but Area 51 proves otherwise. From start to finish this film feels disposable, and though its final moments offer a few fleeting seconds of brilliance it all comes far too late to save the film from being a purchase you’d rather forget. I’m sure Oren Peli will bounce back, as will found footage (hopefully), but there is no saving this title.

Review written by: James Shotwell

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Directed by Oren Peli

They're Here.

Three young conspiracy theorists attempt to uncover the mysteries of Area 51, the government's secret location rumored to have hosted encounters with alien beings. What they find at this hidden facility exposes unimaginable secrets.

Frank Novak Reid Warner Darrin Bragg Ben Rovner Jelena Nik David Thornsberry Amelia Thornsberry Jennefer Folsom Roy Abramsohn Glenn Campbell Concepcion West James Decker Patrick Sullivan Jenna Thornsberry Sandra Staggs Wray Featherstone Suze Lanier-Bramlett Saxton Cole Hurley Bradley Laise Jolene Andersen

Director Director

Producers producers.

Jason Blum Jake Morrison

Writer Writer

Casting casting.

Valerie McCaffrey

Editors Editors

Blake Maniquis Jake York

Cinematography Cinematography

Todd Grossman

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Amir Zbeda Stuart Ford Oren Peli Steven Schneider

Production Design Production Design

Patrick M. Sullivan

Art Direction Art Direction

Zach Bangma Danielle Clemenza

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Mark J. Mullins

Costume Design Costume Design

Amy Brownson

Insurge Pictures Blumhouse Productions Aramid Entertainment Fund IM Global Incentive Filmed Entertainment Room 101 Solana Films

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

English Portuguese

Releases by Date

15 may 2015, 19 jun 2015, 01 feb 2016, 31 dec 2016, 01 aug 2020, releases by country.

• Digital VOD
• Digital 12 genaues Datum nicht bekannt.
• Digital (internet)
• Theatrical R
• Digital R (internet)

91 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Skywalkin on the Moon 2

If we Naruto run, we can move faster than their bullets.

Review by Girth Brooks ★ 5

FUCK THIS MOVIE.

Review by Matthew L. Brady ★

I know the question that I probably going to get "Matt, why did you even see this movie?" Well what else I'm I going to put on my worst movies of the year list and that's this movie. Area 51 was just awful.

Review by nathaxnne [hiatus <3] ★★★★½ 4

Everything You Have Been Told About Area 51 Is Totally True.

Everything You Think Area 51 Looks Like It Looks Like. Everything You Think Goes On There Does.

The truth has not been kept from you. The truth has not leaked out. The truth has not been inferred by the knowledgeable and the wise. The truth was made to be a certain way and then it was announced to you on every channel. If you could not pay attention or were not paying attention push alerts would bring it to you on your phone with a chime. Not so much to limit information as to incapacitate its processing. Not so much to hide the truth as to proliferate contradictory truths…

Review by Ian ★ 1

If Area 51 is as easy to break into as it was in this shitty film we will have no issue during the Area 51 raid on September 20th!

Review by andre ★½

nada amig, achei babadeira

Review by Ryan Preston ★ 1

"What is this place?"

It's been over for 10 minutes and I'm still waiting to see some bloody aliens! The fact that they got into Area motherfucking 51 so easily and weren't detected by anyone despite clip clopping around the entire base like elephants in fucking tap shoes is goddamn ridiculous.

Review by amanda 💫 ½

não pagaria nem uma coxinha pra ver esse filme

Review by Zedd Redd ☽𖤐☾ ★★★ 2

Oh come on guys. 1.8 stars? This isn't that bad.

Review by Joel Hilke ★½

Watched as part of HORRORx52 - 2024 --> The House That Blum Built

The Horrorx52 entry called for a Blumhouse pic and I've seen most of them. Of the handful I haven't, I picked Area 51 since it's by Oren Peli who made Paranormal Activity... and because it's a familiar sci-fi riff which maybe they could do something inventive with. What could go wrong? <glances at star rating> Oh my.

Area 51 is a very, very, very familiar found footage movie. A trio of young stupid people get their camera gear and set out to infiltrate Area 51. Where things go swimmingly, the camera never shakes, and everyone has tea and crumpets at the end. <checks notes> oh... by…

Review by Ben Puszka ★ 3

"Shhhh! Shhhhhhh! Shh!" "Did you hear that?!" "Shhhhhhh!" "What was that?!" "SHHHHHHHHHH!"

Really great movie if you like listening to people whisper.

Review by lany ★★★½

i lowkey bloody love this movie

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