The original Species (1995) was a surprise summer sleeper and was part of MGM's return to a major studio. Species II could very well kill the studio all over again (if they weren't still thriving from the latest Bond picture, Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), it probably would for sure).

I don't think anyone would accuse the first film of being a classic but it was a fun, sexy, sci-fi thriller with a solid cast and some creepy ideas. It also introduced the wildly sexy Natasha Henstridge and, unfortunately for her, she returns here. Since her character Sil was killed in the first film she returns as a clone of her former self in this one. She's now known as Eve and is kept behind glass, and off screen, for much of the film.

The main focus of the film is on national hero Patrick Ross (Justin Lazard). He's the first man to walk on Mars and the son of a prominent Senator (James Cromwell). He also begins to slowly wipe out the population because, due to a nasty alien virus he contracted on the trip, whenever he has sex with women they immediately become pregnant, carry the baby to term so that it can explode from their stomach leaving the mother dead and grow at rapid speed into evil alien spawn. His ultimate goal? To mate with Eve so that they can create the ultimate, unstoppable, alien race.

Well since this guy is wiping out the population it's lucky for the government that Eve is psychically linked to him and they have her under surveillance so she can help them out. Watching over her is Dr. Laura Baker (Marg Helgenberger) who returns from the original film. Also returning is Press Lenox (Michael Madsen), and the two have a bizarrely less stimulating relationship this time around.

Anyway they team up with another astronaut, Dennis Gamble (Mykelti Williamson), who was exposed to the virus but didn't get infected. A third, female, astronaut (Myriam Cyr) also acquired the virus but since she's a woman she dies immediately upon having sex.

Eventually they track down Patrick and kill him but not before Eve has broken out and the two nearly mate (allowing for token exposure of Natasha's bare breasts and butt).

To state all the reasons this movie is pure evil would take entirely too long. There is really nothing redeeming. The film is not even cheesy enough to be fun. It's just boring, overdone, ugly, offensive, disgusting, and awful.

None of the actors do anything to enliven the procedures. Justin Lazard basically ensures his stint as a movie star is over before it begins and Madsen, Helgenberger, and Williamson look like they're just collecting paychecks. I don't even want to know what possessed the brilliant James Cromwell to become involved in this, I'd rather just forget about it and watch Babe, L.A. Confidential, or Star Trek: First Contact again.

Then there's poor Natasha Henstridge. She's a beautiful woman and the scenes of Eve in heat come closest to redeeming the film. They flirt with being honestly sexy which provides the film with it's only almost real moments. Maybe she's a really great actress but even if she isn't she deserves better than this.

If you must see the film just wait for video (or even cable, which is where