Sam (Peter Onorati) and Anita Clark (Joanna Pacula) live in the small town of Tranquility with their two children, Henry (Andrew Burt) and Elizabeth (Alexandra Picatto). Sam is a scientist studying marsh biology. He is conducting his research in the swamps and waterways of the area. Anita is not happy living in Tranquility. The only person in town that she likes is new resident, Janet Jones (Rainer Grant). The Clarks are having some marital problems. Sam ends up at the local hotel. Anita decides to take the children and return to the city for the summer.
Janet and her brother John (Morgan Englund) are the newest residents of Tranquility. Soon after they arrive in town, some of the local residents either disappear or are found dead with unusual rashes on their bodies. Some of the residents believe that Sam and Anita have something to do with the disappearances. Others believe that Janet and John are responsible. Everyone’s getting a little paranoid.
What they don’t know is that Janet and John are actually aliens from outer space. They are alien scientists that are experimenting on humans to try to develop new plastic surgery techniques. The purpose is to be able to take the information they learn back to their planet. Then they can use human skin as a disguise so they can take over the Earth.
Janet makes friends with Anita. John isn’t happy that his sister is making friends with an Earthling. In working on their research, Janet figures out that they need to find a human with AB blood. Unfortunately, the closest person with AB blood is Anita’s husband Sam.
“Not Like Us” was released in 1995 and was directed by Dave Payne. It is an American comedy science fiction made for television film with horror elements.
The movie was part of the “Roger Corman Presents” series for Showtime. In 1995 Roger created a television series of science fiction and horror films. The series ran for two years. A total of 29 episodes were produced. Fourteen episodes were shown in the first season and fifteen in the second season.
For a long time, the movie is rather uneventful. It appears as if the filmmakers were trying to create a lot of suspense, but it ended up being more boring than tense, and a little confusing for a while. It’s not until you start seeing the mutilated bodies when things start to get interesting. Until then it’s a lot of over-the-top camp and some silly humor. You do get to see some boobs but, other than some sexual innuendos, that’s about it. Other than the movie dragging a bit, it was your typical Roger Corman style humor.
I did find it strange that the highest art form that the aliens adore is plastic surgery, especially considering the fact that they don’t have skins. They basically take over the skins of humans in a sort of upside-down invasion of the body snatchers scenario.
The special make-up and mechanical effects were created by Michael Burnett. For the most part, the effects were pretty good.