The Brother From Another Planet

Audience Reviews

View More (191)

Audience Member Joe Morton is an alien in an unknown world….literally! He plays an extraterrestrial escaping from his home planet from slavery and ends up on Earth in NYC Everything is foreign to him and he’s mute He makes his way around but is rather skilled at fixing machinery as well as being an expert seducing women But two bounty hunters from his same planet track him down to take him back Morton really sells this character relying entirely on facial expressions and hand gestures thanks to John Sayles’ direction There’s a lot of personality he coveys without being verbal This shows that even an individual from somewhere far away can find peace and freedom re-looking at our own society It’s more low-tech sci-fi than anything yet has enough of its social commentary of racial prejudice to stand on its own It’s the immigrant experience of assimilation as it were Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Audience Member The Brother From Another Planet R (nudity and killing) - fantasy and action Sciencefiction Aliens Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/28/24 Full Review Taylor L The Brother from Another Planet is chock full of acting talent that would come into their prime once they were firmly middle-aged - Joe Morton in the lead role, with minor performances from a screeching David Strathairn and even an uncredited Giancarlo Esposito. Extras working on this film reportedly called it "the black E.T. movie", and that's not exactly an unfair comparison to make (and not just because he can make his hands glow and can't speak English). A mute alien slave crash lands on Earth, trying to make his way in society as his story parallels the broad strokes of the immigrant experience, or a modern slave flight. It's not the only movie to make the connection that "illegal alien = actual alien", with stories like Alien Nation and District 9 following similar paths. There's a bit of a modern bent to it (scenes of drug addiction and the general malaise of the working class in the '80s), and the film really has an empathetic portrayal with the confused perspective of Morton's nameless extraterrestrial. Seeing the welcoming pull of a local bar where he's affectionately called "brother" despite acting oddly and nobody there actually knowing him is one of the more sincere portrayals of the first-generation immigrant experience you can hope to see. The film gets a bit sloppy later on, not only with a pair of black-clad, greasy-hair alien slavecatchers that are oddly comical instead of intimidating, but when the film turns more into a series of loose vignettes rather than a really cohesive or impactful story. Still a neat concept. (3/5) Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review georgan g This older film is still the most unique combo of sci fi and anti-racism I've ever seen. It's low budget so don't expect exciting special effects. The main character never speaks but still does some great acting. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review adam j. p Cult classic. Truly enjoyed this years ago, and still think it stands the test of time. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Worth watching. Relevant, profound, and artful. Well cast. Spike Lee's future cinematographer is brilliant. It's always unfortunate when a white man tells the stories of nonwhites, but whatever. Sayles' storytelling covers a seeminly unlimited number of social realities. Slapstick moments are the "spoon full of sugar" that help the medicine go down. This film is important. Take your medicine. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Brother From Another Planet

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Most Popular at Home Now