Skyline is one of those invasion movies that drops you straight into chaos before you’ve had your morning coffee. Directed by the Brothers Strause, it’s a visually ambitious alien invasion thriller that leans heavily into spectacle, survival tension, and a surprisingly wild final act.
Detailed Summary
The Morning After the Party
The story begins in Los Angeles, where Jarrod (Eric Balfour) and his girlfriend Elaine (Scottie Thompson) are visiting their wealthy friend Terry (Donald Faison). After a night of partying, they wake up to a strange blue light flooding the city. Anyone who looks into the light is hypnotized and pulled violently into massive alien ships hovering above the skyline.
Within minutes, society collapses. Helicopters are destroyed mid-air. Skyscrapers crumble. Military forces attempt retaliation — and fail.
The film quickly shifts into survival mode, as the group barricades themselves inside Terry’s luxury penthouse apartment.
The Blue Light and the Harvest
The aliens are not just attacking — they’re harvesting. Human bodies are collected and processed aboard gigantic biomechanical ships. We learn that the blue light is a tool of control, luring people outside before they’re abducted.
Jarrod becomes partially exposed to the light and begins showing strange side effects. His veins darken, and he gains bursts of enhanced strength and aggression. This transformation becomes a key element in the film’s climax.
The group attempts multiple escape plans — through stairwells, rooftops, and underground parking garages — but the city is overrun. Even nuclear weapons appear ineffective.
The Alien Ground Forces
The aliens deploy massive creatures to sweep the streets. One of the most intense sequences involves a towering alien brute attacking survivors at close range. The creatures appear organic yet mechanical — a recurring theme in the film’s design.
The humans eventually attempt to reach a marina to escape by boat, believing the aliens may not be focused on the ocean. This plan fails disastrously when they realize the invasion is global.
They are eventually captured and taken aboard the alien mothership.
Movie Ending
The final act takes a sharp turn into body horror territory.
Jarrod is captured and brought aboard the alien ship. Inside, humans are processed on an assembly-line-like system. Their brains are extracted and inserted into alien biomechanical bodies. The aliens are using human brains as processors — essentially upgrading themselves with human consciousness.
Jarrod’s brain is removed and implanted into one of the alien bodies.
But here’s the twist.
Instead of being fully controlled, Jarrod’s consciousness remains dominant. His love for Elaine and his humanity override the alien programming. The alien body’s eyes glow red instead of blue — signaling autonomy.
Meanwhile, Elaine, who is revealed to be pregnant, is brought to the same chamber. Just as an alien prepares to kill her, Jarrod — now inside the alien body — intervenes. He violently fights off other aliens in defense of her.
The film ends with alien-Jarrod standing protectively over Elaine, suggesting he has retained his identity and will continue resisting from within the alien ranks.
It’s abrupt, bold and divisive.
There is no clean resolution to the invasion itself — humanity is still being harvested — but the ending implies a possible rebellion from inside the alien system.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No. There are no post-credits or mid-credits scenes in Skyline. The story ends with the alien-Jarrod standoff.
Type of Movie
Skyline is a science fiction alien invasion thriller with strong disaster and horror elements. It focuses less on global politics and more on intimate survival under overwhelming cosmic force.
Cast
- Eric Balfour as Jarrod
- Scottie Thompson as Elaine
- Donald Faison as Terry
- David Zayas as Oliver
- Brittany Daniel as Candice
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by Matthew Margeson, blending atmospheric tension with heavy, pulsating sci-fi tones. The music enhances the claustrophobic feeling inside both the apartment and the alien ship.
Filming Locations and Their Importance
Skyline was primarily shot in Los Angeles, particularly in high-rise apartment buildings. The production notably used the directors’ own condominium as a filming location to save budget.
Los Angeles plays a crucial role because:
- The skyline visuals amplify the scale of destruction.
- The dense urban setting makes the invasion feel immediate and unavoidable.
- The contrast between luxury living and total annihilation underscores the sudden collapse of modern comfort.
Much of the alien ship interior was created with CGI, which became one of the film’s most talked-about aspects.
Awards and Nominations
Skyline did not win major mainstream awards but was recognized in genre circuits. It received nominations at the Saturn Awards for Best Science Fiction Film and gained attention for its visual effects work given its relatively modest budget.
Behind the Scenes Insights
- The film was directed by the visual effects duo known as the Brothers Strause, who had previously worked on effects-heavy films.
- A significant portion of the visual effects was created in-house, reducing costs dramatically.
- The production budget was estimated around $10–20 million, relatively low for a large-scale alien invasion film.
- The film sparked controversy due to similarities with another alien invasion movie released around the same time.
- Many exterior destruction scenes were completed before filming even began.
Inspirations and References
Skyline draws heavy inspiration from classic alien invasion films like Independence Day and War of the Worlds. The “light lure” concept echoes abduction tropes found in UFO mythology.
Its body-horror finale feels reminiscent of The Matrix in terms of humans being used as biological components for machines.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
No official alternate ending was released, but extended processing scenes aboard the alien ship were trimmed to maintain pacing. Some early cuts reportedly expanded on Jarrod’s transformation before his brain extraction.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The first blue light sweep across Los Angeles
- Helicopters being destroyed mid-air
- The apartment balcony alien encounter
- The alien processing chamber reveal
- Jarrod’s red-eyed alien transformation
Iconic Quotes
- “Don’t look at the light.”
- “They’re not just invading… they’re taking us.”
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The alien design features biomechanical influences similar to H.R. Giger-style aesthetics.
- The directors reused certain digital assets from previous visual effects work.
- The red-eye vs blue-eye color coding visually represents free will versus control.
- The pregnancy reveal subtly reinforces the theme of humanity’s continuation.
Trivia
- The directors used their own apartment for interior scenes.
- The film’s marketing emphasized its large-scale visuals more than its characters.
- A sequel, Beyond Skyline, was later produced expanding the universe.
- The film performed significantly better internationally than domestically.
Why Watch Skyline?
Watch Skyline if you enjoy:
- Relentless invasion tension
- Visually ambitious low-budget sci-fi
- A final act that takes a wildly unexpected turn
- Alien designs that feel intimidating and otherworldly
It may not be character-driven prestige sci-fi, but it delivers spectacle and one of the boldest alien-invasion endings of the 2010s.
Directors’ Other Works
The film was directed by The Brothers Strause. Their notable works include:
They are primarily known for their visual effects background rather than a large directing filmography.
Recommended Films for Fans
If you enjoyed Skyline, consider:
- Cloverfield (2008)
- Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
- Independence Day (1996)
- War of the Worlds (2005)
- District 9 (2009)
