Xeno phone home.
An alien crashlands on Earth and befriends a human girl. Sound familiar? The Kevin Hart produced “Xeno” is a Spielberg-esque throwback to the classic monster blockbusters of the 80s. Think “ET” or “Goonies” or “Gremlins,” which feature kids protecting their creature friends against all odds.
It’s the decade of star Omari Hardwick’s childhood. He was reared on those movies. And they were in the forefront of his mind while filming.
Then there’s director Matthew Loren Oates, who came of age the decade later. He cited a specific inspiration – “Terminator 2: Judgement Day,” another film where a youngster befriends a nonhuman, this time a robot killing machine played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The young actor at the center of the story, Lulu Wilson, wasn’t alive for any of those movies. But, the indelible classics live on in the American consciousness forever. She, too, felt strong nostalgia for the movies of forty some odd years ago.
The Knockturnal interviewed Hardwick, Oates and Wilson. All three brought up the movies “Xeno” reminds them off. They spoke of the mentorship between the younger and older actors on set. And described the challenges and the fun of the shoot – like filming in the desert and working with a stand in for the alien.
Watch the full interview on YouTube. “Xeno” released Sept 19.
