51 or Area 51 is a movie where, finally, the secrecy surrounding Area 51 is over. A group of journalists is allowed onto the premises, guided by Colonel Martin, who gives them a tour of the facility. The purpose? To reveal all the secrets and once and for all dispel the rumors about aliens being hidden on the research base. But, of course, it’s not that simple. Naturally, the authorities have no intention of revealing anything more than what serves their own interests. The tour is solely designed to manipulate the press and generate stories about things they want to be made public. It’s essentially propaganda intended for their enemies. Predictably, everything goes off the rails, and the journalists see much more than they were supposed to—much more!
Overall, this is quite an entertaining film from Sy-Fy. The monsters—yes, it’s about extraterrestrial creatures that are best described as monsters—look quite well-made, even though their appearance comes off a bit silly. It feels like they’ve tried to make the film a bit family-friendly, holding back on elements that could have turned it into a real blockbuster. Instead, what you get is a somewhat restrained sci-fi experience. The filmmakers haven’t hesitated to borrow from more well-known movies either, like Alien. While it’s not a full-blown rip-off, there are enough familiar scenes to make you recognize them here and there.
That said, it is entertaining. It’s brainless sci-fi action that doesn’t require much emotional investment. It’s clear this is a crowd-pleasing production—practically a textbook example of one. They’ve perfectly woven in just the right scenes to keep audiences engaged. It’s not exactly thrilling, but then, no one likely expected it to be. Still, it’s enjoyable in the moment! Oh, and by the way, Bruce Boxleitner plays Colonel Martin.
