Lynn.b of our Hollywood Preview crew, went to a screening of a new sci-fi comedy film.. Here's the scoop on:

Evolution began as a sci-fi horror project without the humor. After many re-writes, it evolved into a comedy. With Ivan Reitman, the director of the Ghostbusters films at the helm, this is great news. The film's star David Duchovny says he and buddy Orlando Jones would do a scene and try to ad lib something "under the radar". They would think they had the funny line of the century until Reitman would say "By the way, you know that thing you did there? Don't do it again". "My guy is a scientist", says Duchovny. I had to make him "credible and incredibly goofy at the same time".

When a meteor falls to earth near a small Arizona town, it nearly wipes out Wayne, (Seann William Scott), a wannabe fireman practicing rescues in the desert. Local community college professors Dr. Ira Kane (David Duchovny) and Harry Block (Orlando Jones) check out the meteor and see that it "bleeds". They bag some cells and "blood" and, in their lab, discover that the mass is growing and evolving like crazy. "Does the Nobel Prize pay in installments?", asks the excited Block.

Soon the Army moves in on the site and takes over, stealing Ira and Harry's research and files and bringing along brilliant but klutzy CDC Deputy Director Allison (Julianne Moore). The guys sneak onto the crash site and try to collect some of the evolving critters but they are caught and thrown out (after Harry undergoes a painful and comic process to remove one of the creatures that has burrowed under his skin).

Wayne, having flunked his fireman's exam, is working as a pool boy at a nearby golf course. When an evolved alien attacks a club member, he nabs it and takes it to the college. A trio of Alienbusters is formed and Wayne, Ira and Harry go critter hunting.
When Allison announces that in two months the aliens will make us all extinct, Governor Lewis (Dan Aykroyd) gives the army permission to napalm. Learning that this will only make matters worse, Allison, Ira, Harry and Wayne join forces and launch a zany plan to destroy the aliens that involves a fire truck and a beauty product (don't ask).

Evolution is packed with elements that pay tribute to all those great cheesy 1950's sci fi horror films: It Came From Outer Space, Invaders From Mars, etc. There are plenty of "nods" to the Ghostbusters films without constant imitation. Of course, the story is formula but it's intended to be. The science in the film is actually pretty accurate. If biology lessons on cell mitosis are boring you then, this film will give you a fresh look laced with humor. There's something funny here for everyone; gross out laughs, ad-libs that score more often than miss and some terrific creature effects that combine horror with cute. I especially chuckled at one little critter that looked like a big…well, backside!

The ensemble cast works well. Dude, Where's My Car? and Road Trip's Seann William Scott is again a good-hearted doofus but actually has a little character development here that grows him into a hero. Julianne Moore proves that she has sharp comic timing as well as some impressive stunt fall abilities. Duchovny and Jones are believable as buddy professors and old friends. Ghostbuster Dan Ackroyd gets to play the government official that he was always bucking in those early films. A couple of chubby student brothers end up providing the info that leads to the aliens' destruction and their jokes work only 50 percent of the time but their few funny moments are worth putting them in the movie.

Pre-teens and teens will probably like this film and if your parents loved those old 50's s.f. films and if "Ghostbustin'" still makes you "feel good", then let the Evolution Alienbusters pick up where the old team left off and take everybody to the theater.

Directed by	Ivan Reitman
Screenplay by	David Diamond and David Weissman and Don Jakoby
Starring	David Duchovny as Dr. Ira Kane
	Orlando Jones as Professor Harry Block
	Seann William Scott as Wayne
	Julianne Moore as Allison
	Dan Ackroyd as Governor Lewis