In Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal’s film, the bodies keep piling, the sacrifices keep multiplying, the alien keeps growing, and the story keeps shrinking.

What struck me most about Life was how well it was written. Really, it’s so rare these days to see such a solidly put together piece of popcorn entertainment. By definition, these movies are supposed to be filled with plot holes and cardboard characters, convenient contrivances and pathetic, laughable dialogue. But not Life, no.

The twist, when it comes, does not do much to alleviate the film. When nearly one hundred minutes of the film are spent on old wine in a new, CGI bottle, this last minute shocker ends up underlining the sluggish and stale nature of the plot, which is more assembled than inspired.

Combined with good special effects and inventive cinematography to keep the action claustrophobic (do not miss the opening sequence), ‘Life’ does little to change the scope of the genre. However, it is a tautly wound thriller with some gruesome and unpredictable twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, and occasionally even jumping out of it.

Get past the blah, the bluster, the babble and the banter and you’ll have something to get an eyeful of. It’s not always pretty, but it gets the job done. One-time watch.

Genre thrills are all very well only if they come in a sound package. This one’s merely pretty, brief, aesthetically designed and maybe just a trifle enjoyable!

The film is interesting as it offers some striking and genuinely terrifying moments.

Apart from the final denouement, a thrilling, bold risk taken by director Daniel Espinosa and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (most famous for last year’s Deadpool), Life dies a quiet death for its lazy writing and an uninspired plot.