Highly Overrated But Still Good

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

"20 Million Miles to Earth" is generally an enjoyable example of the giant monster craze that came out of the 1950s. If you are looking for giant monster thrills, the movie does deliver, giving the audience its first glimpse of the creature early on and subsequently making it reappear on a regular basis. While some of the special effects are (perhaps inevitably) dated, if you view the movie in a 1950s perspective, they are acceptable. (Actually, there are a few excellent special effect sequences that had me wondering how they did them!) The pacing is very good, with only a few (momentarily) slow spots, and the running time is not too long (less than ninety minutes.)Are there any significant flaws with this movie? Well, I did have a couple of minor quibbles. The portrayal of the Italians in the movie is pretty stereotypical and embarrassing by today's standards. Also, the movie seems surprisingly reluctant to go into depth about the space mission that brought back the monster, which leads to a number of unanswered questions. But if you accept the movie as a product of its time and are in a forgiving mood, most likely you'll be able to overlook those flaws and enjoy your viewing experience.

Some movies stand the test of time, this one does not. I'm not sure it ever did.The monster was good as far as 50s FX go. Yea Ray. But the opening spacecraft crash - really? So cliché as it floats nose down (I suppose that's where the heavy engines are?) way too high in the water, and then sinks like a rock once the rescuers disembark. It never gets better. The portrayal of the Italians as basically stupid is insulting. Air Force Colonel Robert Calder's (William Hopper) initial interactions with Marisa Leonardo (Joan Taylor) were probably intended to make him look like a forceful military man. Instead he comes off as an arrogant bully. The alien is treated completely without compassion. Grim.Spoiler alert! Bob and Marisa's relationship eventually warms. The "monster" dies. Who would have suspected?Here's the way any outline of this flick should actually read: American astronauts return to Earth with a kidnapped alien from Venus. The alien, struggling to understand its situation and gain its freedom, is brutalized and then killed while the Earthers lament their bad luck at having suffered any losses.

If you enjoy crazy "rampaging monster" movies from the 1950s, then 20 Million Miles To Earth is sure to give you an extra-satisfying adrenaline rush with its top-notch special effects by Ray Harryhausen.As the story goes - The 1st spaceship to Venus crashes into the sea off the coast of Sicily. Its only 2 survivors are its pilot and a fast-growing Venusian monster who doesn't hesitate to fight back when frightened.With an intelligent, fast-paced script - This Creature Feature's wild climax takes place at a showdown between monster and man in the Colosseum in Rome.20 Million Miles To Earth's running time is only 82 minutes.

A rocketship crashes in the sea off the coast of a Sicilian village and two survivors are rescued. The ship was also carrying an alien specimen in the form of a pod with a creature inside it. The pod is found by a boy named Pepe, who sells it to a scientist. Soon the alien hatches from the pod and, growing rapidly, begins to terrorize the countryside.Early Ray Harryhausen film is one of his best. The monster, known as the Ymir but never called that on screen, is an impressive creation. It's great fun to watch the Ymir fight people and animals before ultimately facing the military...on top of the Colosseum no less! The actors in the film are nothing special. The Italians are all walking stereotypes, especially Pepe, but are amusing nonetheless. The square-jawed hero of the film is William Hopper. Hopper was the son of famous gossip columnist Hedda Hopper but is perhaps best known to modern audiences for his role as Paul Drake in the Perry Mason TV series. Joan Taylor is an attractive but bland female lead. The chemistry between these two is sparkless and stale. Really though nobody is watching this movie for the humans. They're watching for the awesome Harryhausen special effects and some simple fun entertainment. And on that front, the film delivers and then some. It's a truly fun sci-fi monster flick from the 1950s, the defining decade for science fiction films.