Cigoto

Neill Blomkamp proves with this short that he still has it in him and shows what an Alien film directed by him could look like. Zygote is reminiscent of The Thing, but in a modern package, and has a solid atmosphere and a perfect central monster that not only looks great, but the way it works and what it can do is absolutely perfect. I'm praying he makes a feature film with this theme. Even from the introduction where they write the crew numbers 100, it's clear that we would be in for the ultimate sci-fi massacre with 98 dead bodies, which sounds like a dream come true. 80% (12.10.2017)

Without sound, you might think for a few minutes that you're watching an interview between a tennis player and a fan who can no longer tolerate how many unforced errors they commit. However, the monster that haunts fingerprinting police officers would quickly disabuse you of that notion. Neill Blomkamp's visual style is both precise and slightly morbid, but 20 minutes isn't long enough to develop motives that aim into the void rather than creating atmosphere. Flickering lights alone won’t achieve this… it only passes for an Emergency Destruct system on the Nostromo or a rogue Darth Vader’s red lightsaber. (14.09.2023)

An excellent short, definitely not one of those that would seem unnecessarily long after a few minutes. Neill Blomkamp combines Alien with The Thing, invents an extremely original monster and casts a beautifully terrified Dakota Fanning. I would like it as a feature film. (22.01.2018)

A space sci-fi with a good looking monster, but it doesn't excel in anything else. The story is uninteresting, the visuals are mediocre, the ending is bad and the ambition is zero. (08.10.2021)

Now I can definitely say that rejecting the fifth Alien movie, which would have been directed by Blomkamp, was an inexcusable blunder. He’s got it in him. Zygote takes a different approach than its two predecessors, relying on uncertainty and the oppressive atmosphere of a station in the Arctic Circle. Even with just two actors, you can deliver an incredible spectacle—it's been a long time since I’ve seen Dakota Fanning, and once again, she didn’t disappoint. She still has many successful years ahead of her. The creature was truly unique, though disgusting and repulsive as a horror monster should be. I have a few complaints (she could have ended it with that axe, and there are some plot holes), but the execution makes up for it all. The music is also captivating. If you’re a fan of sci-fi horror, take 20 minutes and give this little film a chance. I give it 84%. (18.07.2017)