MovieChat Forums > The Blackout (2012) Discussion > Origin of the Species: Correlation of th...

Origin of the Species: Correlation of the tremors, spires, and creatures

posted 14 years ago by enon_e_mouse
8 replies | jump to latest

I may be the only contributor who did not post a message bashing this movie.

However, this is not to say that it was a good movie.

That being said, I can truly say that I enjoy all sci-fi movies, even bad ones.

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No one on this message board seems to be interested in exploring the origin of the creature nor the seismic events leading up to its arrival.

(For the sake of the following discussion, I will accept the film's premise that the creatures naturally emit an electromagnetic field that interferes with electronic equipment within range, whatever that may be.)

My interpretation is that the localized seismic activity leading up to the creatures arrival was the result of the subterranean spires emerging from far beneath the Earth's crust. It is not clear to me what force was causing this emergence nor was it clear if it was intentional. After seeing the ending, one might conclude that it was intentionally being done by the creatures to transform the Earth's surface to a suitable environment for them to live and breathe.

However, for me to accept this theory I would have to believe that the creatures are intelligent and every action they take in the film suggests otherwise. They appear to be simple-minded animals with a natural instinct to hunt and kill prey for sustenance and nothing more. At least the creatures from Aliens showed intelligence by using humans as incubators...

But assuming that they are intelligent and that they can somehow cause the spires to force their way though the Earth's crust, what possible reason would they have for doing so? It is at this point can am forced to form 3 very different theories:

1. The creatures are indigenous to Earth and have lived and thrived below the Earth's surface since the dawn of creation. Then some type of natural geologic event occurs forcing the spires up and they come along for the ride.

But the creatures appear to have brought snacks which would seem to imply that their trip to the surface was planned, so maybe...

2. The creatures are indigenous to Earth, are intelligent. They obviously enjoy eating flesh so maybe their food supply was running out (yummy subterranean turtles) and they were forced to relocate to the surface or starve. So they use their mad tunneling skills to create instability below the crust and focus the geothermal forces to slowly push huge spires from their underground dwellings through the crust and to the surface. Once on the surface the spires become wedged and pressure builds to the point where sulfuric gases are forced out their tips. Oh, and each creature goes on a killing spree once they taste human flesh. No more turtles for them, no sir!

Nah, this is too much of a stretch to be even remotely believable so maybe...

3. (Now I used to live in LA so I can speak with authority on this subject...) They are aliens. Yes, I said aliens as in from another planet! Think about it, a millennium ago their spaceship crashes on Earth and they are forced to accelerate their body's evolution to adapt to the planet and survive... wait that sounds like Pandorum... OK, they crash on Earth during an ice age and because they hate the could and like breathing sulfuric ash they move underground where they find yummy turtles to eat. Time passes and they eventually grow tired of eating turtles and decide to leave the planet. They fire up the engines on the ole spaceship and this causes the spires to emerge through the crust. But then they run out of fuel so they decide to follow the spires up and take a peek to see if there is something on the surface they can use to power the ship. So naturally they send the less intelligent creatures out first just in case there are any hostiles waiting but to their surprise they find an all-you-can-eat deli of humans. Still better than those damn turtles!

Well, I welcome your interpretations of this movies premise, but please don't bother grading the movie because I know it was bad. But I still enjoy a mystery!

And the greatest mystery of all... How this movie ever got made!!!

[–] princessgreen 14 years ago

It was your post that finally made me decide to creat an IMDB account, just so I could reply! I agree that the movie wasn't the best, but I've seen worse and your post was definitely entertaining. It's great to see what other people think happened (aside from it sucked, boring, blahblahblah). :)

Also, sucks for them at the end!

[–] tensaip 14 years ago

This, of course, is not even the first movie with this premise. Although more are familiar with TREMORS (1990), the subgenre was begat by RODAN (1957). In the first couple of reels, it seemed like it was going to be a different kind of monster movie. A volcano becomes active, a nearby coal mine is affected, mine inspectors are attacked and eaten by obscured monsters which are revealed to be giant carnivorous caterpillars (whose parts in the film are abruptly ended when they are themselves consumed by the newly hatched Rodans).

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] wuhugm 12 years ago

I agree the spires are terraforming mechanism and the creatures are aliens who stranded on earth, took shelter deep underground and when their population exploded they resurfaced to find that the world is full of food

[–] zatoichi_nezumi 14 years ago

I'm surprised you read so much into this.
I personally took for granted that your first theory was correct. If the spires came up naturally and brought the monsters with them then it makes sense that it could also bring any other subterranean wildlife to the surface as well. the turtles and prepacked snacks for the journey, theyre just random other wildlife thats wandered up through the cracks in the ground like everything else.

[–] heyrick1 14 years ago

Just out of interest, another hypothesis...

You slag off the monsters for being stupid (which they were) thus meaning point 2 is invalid. But wait, maybe that's the point? Maybe these things are stupid drones that aren't supposed to be intelligent, they're just supposed to kill anything in the way awaiting the great arrival of...

...God help us...

...a bigger faker cheesier load of unscary monsters. The real intelligence.

[–] WWWoyager 12 years ago

It's interesting to note that in 2006, scientists searched for life in the Cueva de los Cristales, a crystal cave located deep below ground in Naica, Mexico. Considering the giant crystal spikes that emerge at the film's end, similar to those in the cave, Cueva de los Cristales was perhaps the real-life inspiration for "The Blackout".

[–] Justin_Shanahan 12 years ago

1. I think the earthquake was destroying the creatures habitat underground and either caused the creatures to move up or made an opening that the creatures were curious in checking their new passage way.

2. The rocks at the end of the movie whatever they were, I think the earthquake was causing the rocks to move upward.

3. I don't think the creatures have the power to bring the rocks upward. I don't know how the creature would absorb the energy.

4. This was only explained in California. I don't think it was worldwide or nationwide.

5. As for the fire emerging from the tip of the rock. There has to be a passage way in the rock that allows the lava to flow inside. Maybe just maybe new volcanoes could be formed. I am no expert in the formation of volcanoes just to let you know.

6. Although I don't feel they are aliens and I feel they are unknown creatures that lived underground. But the thing that bothers me about the animal theory is how they grew so fast out of their shells and got so big. That seems like it's alien. But there is no evidence that that a UFO crashed or asteroid.

7. If they were aliens, I can see how they would have the power to surface those large rocks out of the ground. Even if they were, them bringing it upward would of caused the earthquake.

I like your theory.. Although it's just a theory and sadly the movie doesn't tell us.. I enjoyed the movie. The tail did look to computerized. The creatures looked a tad bit cheesy. (although I like the concept of their image). But the plotline is what got me enjoying the movie. I like the Idea that there was earthquakes, blackouts, and creatures emerging from the ground. The acting on some characters were good. I'll take my theory and your theory to the table. Nice way to explain your view on the film though. I give your props for that.

I hunt Zombies for a living Some Shangri-la I have.