Title: Evolution (2001)
Director: Ivan Reitman
Genre: Sci-Fi Comedy
Starring: David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, Julianne Moore
Extended Summary:
The story of Evolution begins when a large meteor crashes into the Arizona desert near the town of Glen Canyon. A wannabe firefighter named Wayne Grey witnesses the crash during a training exercise and reports it to the local authorities. Two science professors from Glen Canyon Community College, Dr. Ira Kane (David Duchovny), a former government scientist, and Professor Harry Phineas Block (Orlando Jones), a geology teacher, investigate the meteor site. They discover the meteor contains a strange blue goo which, when examined under a microscope, reveals rapidly evolving single-celled organisms.
These organisms evolve at an accelerated rate, advancing millions of years of evolution in a matter of hours. What starts as single-celled life quickly becomes more complex, forming multi-cellular creatures that take on a variety of bizarre and increasingly dangerous forms. Ira and Harry are fascinated by the scientific implications, but they realize the potential danger as the life forms begin to grow uncontrollably.
The situation escalates when the government takes over the site, bringing in the U.S. military and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), led by Allison Reed (Julianne Moore), a clumsy but smart scientist. Allison and Ira have a complicated history, and tensions rise as he tries to regain control of his research.
Meanwhile, the alien organisms, now evolving into various alien species including amphibians, insects, and reptilian creatures, begin to spread beyond the meteor crater. These lifeforms adapt quickly to the Earth’s environment and even start threatening nearby towns. The military’s aggressive approach — using fire and explosives — only exacerbates the problem. Since the aliens have a nitrogen-based biology, similar to Earth’s carbon-based life, their reaction to heat leads to faster mutation and growth, making them more dangerous.
Realizing that the government’s methods are ineffective and even counterproductive, Ira, Harry, Wayne, and Allison form an unlikely team. They work together to analyze the alien biology, looking for a way to stop the organisms. Through scientific deduction (and a bit of comedic trial and error), they discover that selenium — a common element found in dandruff shampoo — is poisonous to the aliens.
Armed with this knowledge, the team devises an absurd but effective plan: pump a huge quantity of Head & Shoulders shampoo into the main alien organism — now a massive, rapidly-growing blob threatening to engulf the region. With the help of Wayne, who drives the fire truck used to deliver the shampoo, they inject the selenium into the alien and succeed in destroying the creature just before it can divide and spread even further.
In the end, the town is saved, and the team becomes heroes. Ira and Allison finally acknowledge their romantic tension, while Harry and Wayne bask in their newfound fame. The film closes with a tongue-in-cheek commercial for the community college’s new science program, taught by none other than Kane and Block.
Themes and Tone:
Evolution blends science fiction with comedy, poking fun at alien invasion tropes while still offering a high-stakes plot. It satirizes bureaucracy and government intervention in science, and leans heavily on witty banter and slapstick humor. The film plays off the chemistry between Duchovny and Jones, offering a dynamic reminiscent of Ghostbusters, which makes sense given Ivan Reitman’s direction.