E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and the funny-looking aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind have been given a run for their money in the peculiar guise of Paul, a potty-mouthed ode to Steven Spielberg's greatest sci-fi epics.
Penned by co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, Paul is the British comedians' love letter to Spielberg and the possibility that aliens buzzing out humans may, in fact, be benevolent.
Sure, Stephen Hawking has gained column inches by stating the obvious: that aliens may not have our best interests at heart. Pegg and Frost's alien, Paul, is not only friendly, he's cool, something their characters, Graeme and Clive, are not. With a giant head and minuscule body, he looks the part. But his skater mentality and puppy-dog eyes make him loveable and fun.
Although it contains most of the classic alien clichés expected of a parody, Paul maintains an easy-going, upbeat tone throughout, even when danger looms in the form of government agents marauding rednecks. Sigourney Weaver even makes an appearance, though her evil presence has little to do with Ripley in the Aliens franchise. Frost was Pegg's best man at his wedding and the duo were sidekicks in Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz so the on-screen chemistry is satisfying. Paired with Paul, voiced by Seth Rogan as a pastiche of TV's ALF, they elicit laughs even a little melodrama. Just don't probe too deeply. The film will be a bumpy ride if you do.
Movie Review: Paul
Alien Paul goes on a road trip with new buddy, Simon Pegg. Photo / Supplied
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