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The Conspiracy Is No Longer a Theory – Revisiting Midway’s ‘Area 51’

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Dreamland. Groom Lake. Homey Airport. All aliases for the infamous military base popularly known as Area 51. While it was only officially acknowledged by the US government in 2013, Area 51 has fascinated conspiracy theorists everywhere since the 1950s with wild reports of UFOs, advanced technological marvels and horrific experiments being conducted in the seemingly peaceful Nevada desert. With all the recent memes regarding the “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” Facebook event, I was soon reminded of that one time when videogames took us where no civilian has gone before through an underrated first-person-shooter.

This story begins back in 2005, when you’d be hard-pressed to find an FPS title that wasn’t somehow related to World-War II. Back then, I didn’t really mind, as I was sort of a history buff growing up and it always felt strangely compelling to go back in time to fight the Axis. However, one of the few things I loved more than history was conspiracy theories (though the two often go hand-in-hand), so imagine my surprise when I visited the local game store and came across a mysterious little case prominently featuring a stern-looking Grey Alien on the cover as it proudly announced that “the conspiracy is no longer a theory”. The game, of course, was Midway’s Area 51.

While it’s technically a remake of the homonymous arcade shooter from 1995, Midway’s take on the franchise had few connections to the original title, taking its cues from both real-life rumors surrounding the notorious base and its references in popular culture as they attempted to craft a unique experience. This led to the development of a blockbuster shooter that also doubles as a goldmine of conspiracy theory material for tin-foil hat enthusiasts everywhere.

The game’s star-studded cast was also noteworthy at the time, with the military specialist protagonist Ethan Cole being brought to life by none other than The X-Files David Duchovny. While his deadpan delivery and gritty internal monologue added a much-needed dose of (arguably unintentional) humor and heart to the game, Duchovny would also be joined by veteran character actors like Ian Abercrombie and Powers Boothe as he ventured into a locked down Area 51, dealing with otherworldly horrors along the way.

I like to think that this game takes place in the same universe as “Destroy All Humans”.

Of course, I haven’t even mentioned the strangest cast member yet, as Cole eventually stumbles upon a survivor of the original 1947 Roswell crash played by Marilyn friggin’ Manson! Codenamed “Edgar”, this injured extraterrestrial sympathizes with your cause and guides the player through telepathic commands as you continue your journey through the hellish base. Add in enemy soldiers working for the Illuminati and viral infections that basically give you super-powers and you have one hell of a fun time on your hands, with the game alternating between traditional squad-based shooting and full-blown horror segments.

Area 51 doesn’t quite reinvent the gameplay wheel (and it does feature several frustrating sequences), but the squad-based moments are consistently intense, the weapons are satisfying to use and I particularly enjoy how you’re eventually infected by the very virus you’ve been sent to contain, temporarily transforming the player into a bloodthirsty monster with a disgusting (albeit useful) set of mutant powers.

Funnily enough, the game actually reminds me a lot of Half-Life: Opposing Force, that award-winning expansion pack where you play as one of the soldiers sent to cleanse the Black Mesa Facility (which was already a clever analog for Area 51) of all aliens and witnesses. I can’t honestly sit here and claim that Area 51 was as ground-breaking as Half-Life, but both games are hellbent on extracting as much tension as possible from a single interesting location, almost turning it into a character in and of itself in an attempt to create a memorable gaming experience. Half-Life may be the superior game, but you’ve got to hand it to Midway for crafting a fun experience for the Conspiracy Theory freaks out there.

Beyond fiendish pacts with alien races and deadly plots to establish a New World Order, the game is also chock-full of references to popular culture. Once you get the hang of using Cole’s scanning device on characters and environments, you’ll be rewarded with horrific little tidbits regarding the base’s past, not to mention occasional nods to classic sci-fi flicks and even other games. However, one of my favorite Easter-eggs lies in a secret chamber filled with sharks with frickin’ lasers on their heads in a silly homage to Austin Powers.

Equal parts goofy and creepy.

In fairness, there are many other standout moments here, like when you ascend onto the movie set where Stanley Kubrick allegedly faked the moon landing (hilariously accompanied by a rendition of Thus Spoke Zarathustra), or when you finally catch a glimpse of Grey Aliens performing gruesome medical procedures on unwilling human specimens. Area 51 might not break the mold with its gameplay formula, and it could be argued that the story doesn’t take full advantage of the cast and setting, but moments like these are proof that this is still an incredibly entertaining romp through one of America’s most fabled locations.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks so, as back in 2007 comic-book legend Grant Morrison (Happy!, Doom Patrol) was hired to adapt the game’s story into a screenplay. Sadly, the project ultimately fell through and it doesn’t seem like we’ll be seeing this game-turned-movie any time soon. It’s a huge shame, since I would have to loved to see them bring back Duchovny and Manson in a live-action production. That same year, however, the game was also followed up by a nearly unrelated “sequel” called Blacksite: Area 51, though that title failed to reach the heights of its predecessor and wasn’t well-regarded commercially or critically.

Unfortunately for gamers with an urge to unearth government secrets, Area 51 is now considered abandonware, as Midway Games closed its doors nearly a decade ago and the game never even made its way onto Steam (though it was released on Windows platforms alongside consoles). There are reports of a single dedicated fan remastering the game to work on modern computers, but at this point I doubt the game will ever see another official release. That being said, if you ever manage to track down a copy and are willing to overlook a handful of minor flaws, I believe you’ll find a memorable shooter that’s sure to entice conspiracy theorists of all ages. Plus, it’s great practice for folks who plan on storming the base in September, so why not revisit this forgotten gem?

Born Brazilian, raised Canadian, Luiz is a writer and Film student that spends most of his time watching movies and subsequently complaining about them.

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

LEPRECHAUN

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

LEPRECHAUN RETURNS sequel

Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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