Evolution - Movie Review

Chris Stuckmann reviews Evolution, starring David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott, Ted Levine, Ethan Suplee, Michael Bower, Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Ivan Reitman.

[@Neat0_o]

Never in a million years did ever expect anyone to review this gem. A childhood classic.

[@kareningram6093]

This movie is like the Galaxy Quest of X-Files movies. I thought it was funny as hell. I'm delighted that you reviewed it. What a pleasant surprise. I also love the fact that you played a clip of one of the best scenes. "THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR LUBRICANT!" I just want to add... "Can I get you anything?" "Ice cream." "What flavor?" "It doesn't matter. It's for my ass."

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

Also from the creators of Ghostbusters too.

[@FutureExitsMedia]

He thinks he's an athlete!

[@basildestiny]

Those are some of the best quotes for the movie! Excellent choices. I always think of Orlando Jones' lines when anyone says they want ice cream.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

This also had a cartoon series in 2001.

[@kareningram6093]

@@basildestiny Yes! LMAO I haven't seen this movie in years and I still remember so many quotes from it, especially from Orlando Jones. I swear he had some of the best lines.

[@Seanedmund]

Chris doesn’t miss. I have adored this movie for ages. I can’t explain why it makes me laugh so hard. It’s so stupid but it’s delightful.

[@delfin7461]

yup it's charmingly stupid!! But the actors are so good and they just leaned into the roles. Well worth a view for a good laugh

[@ColinHortonMovieReviews]

same my friend i LOVE this movie i cant believe Chris actually reviewed it

[@petejones3504]

Ofcourse you have that as your profile picture 🙄

[@coffeebean_tamer]

I watched this as a kid in as cinema and never again 😢

[@Seanedmund]

@@petejones3504aaaand??

[@wilburwhateley4626]

Underrated gem, I still crack up every time hearing Orlando Jones yelling "THERE'S ALWAYS TIME FOR LUBRICANT!!!"

[@BriGuyIT]

Take it! Take the leg!!!

[@Mububban23]

Good rule for life really

[@NoahB3]

He thinks he’s an athlete

[@Pijanoo]

What a blast from the past. I probably saw this movie a 100 times as a child.

[@Cattle_Snacks]

Same! Guilty pleasure film that’s not that good, but enjoyable to watch for nostalgia.

[@LuisSierra42]

Same, It was really funny

[@yissnakklives8866]

I've probably watched it twice that number of times through my 30's...

[@cruzmartinez2297]

I love this movie.

[@JediJay4]

Same, one of my favorites from my childhood.

[@TheSammyAberdeen]

The fact that this movie blatantly used Head & Shoulders product placement as an actual plot device was a stroke of genius.

[@johnnobon]

This movie is underrated. It's not super deep, but it is super fun. I think the idea of all the different creatures coming from some rapidly evolving alien primordial goo was really neat. And the humor was on point. I think it deserves a place on the fun shelf for any film lover.

[@anubusx]

Would the apes have evolved into humans?

[@allencampbell3350]

It's SO nice to see this film get some love. It's creative, it's witty, the creature designs are wild and imaginative (despite the early 2000's CGI) and I argue that it's one of the funnier comedies of that era! And it has to be said, Duchovny and Jones's chemistry is amazing! One of my all time, underrated faves.

[@tooruoikawa8985]

I always thought this movie had that fun carefree feeling the late 90s and Early 2000’s movies captured seemed to capture really well. X files was one of my favourite shows so David Docovney in a comedy movie about aliens I’m sold LOL it’s just a fun good time and I love it. Thanks for the content Chris!

[@MsDinoGal]

I didn’t know there was anyone who disliked this movie. I saw it in theaters and we watched it every couple of years now. It is still SO funny! Even my parents watched it the other day and told us how much they laughed.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

Dic made a cartoon series out of it.

[@prathapkutty7407]

​@@nehemiahpouncey3607when did it come out?

[@fromthehaven94]

The old IMDb message boards, I replied back and forth with someone who said that they hated Evolution.

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

@@prathapkutty7407 in 2001. But made it more of a superhero series.

[@ILik3PH0T0]

Yeah anyone who I know thats seen it really enjoys it. Now I feel like a bit of a weirdo becase i still talk about it.

[@alexanderjordan7409]

This movie holds so much nostalgia for me. This was the very first movie I saw on DVD as a kid. Grandma gifted our family a DVD player and it was such a shock seeing the DVD disc. Thanks Grandma.

[@Cambriyuh]

I remember randomly picking this up at my library in 2008, knowing nothing about it, and had SO much fun. Makes me happy seeing this again

[@blacksnk]

I saw this in the theatres when it first came out. I love this film! "There's always time for lubricate!"

[@chrisjones1941]

Haha yeah. And "take the leg!!"

[@TheRealJahan]

That squealing “Nooooo!” is hilarious

[@metalacop]

The banter between characters and the fact that it looked like the actors were having fun made this movie great.

[@austinmay4526]

The story of my family cannot be written without the inclusion of Evolution. Since it came out, it was an instant hit with the fam, and we still watch it somewhat regularly. It also helps that a good amount of the special effects still hold up considerably well considering the age of the movie. My daughter is 3, and she has already seen it a handful of times, whether she knew what it was or not.

[@mikagrossmann5370]

I don't think this movie is forgotten, it's just underrated. I believe most people who've seen it in the past and loved it still remember it fondly. Every time I somehow remember this movie (I'm rewatching the X files's Monster of the Week episodes now!) I get a little smile and think that maybe I should watch it again. Also, just to mention that Ted Levine is an incredibly talented actor and completely underrated. Thanks for reviewing this movie!

[@sriver004]

This movie is a classic I don't care what anyone says. I don't remember that many movies making me laugh as hard as this movie. I love it.

[@sriver004]

And yeah, shout out to the Orlando Jones scene with the alien in his ass lol that one had me rolling in theaters 😂😂

[@MarkEvans-xw5ix]

'What flavour?' 'Doesnt matter.. it's for my ass.' 😂😂

[@mariaclaragarcia5290]

This Halloween special is an absolute blast!! I'm loving it!

[@maeannengo4908]

I loooooove this movie. I still sometimes say "ca-caw" when referring to birds to this day

[@gonzo6489]

"I think we've established "ca-ca ca-caw" and "tuki-tiki" don't work."

[@DaddyDaughterMovieNight]

Evolution came along early in my time at Tippett Studio, and actually kinda "saved" the studio during rough times. (This would happen a lot in ensuing years, with different projects.) The "Amoeba" anus practical was on our stage for a while, and crew got to pose on a ladder underneath it making hilarious faces. (I have a photo somewhere, I think.) And "Cutey Pie" was in the lobby near my desk for years, along with other creature maquettes, some in the film and others not. Lots of memories, thanks for bringing them up, Chris.

[@mopar1969ful]

I'm so glad someone is finally showing this movie some love. I watched this when I was a kid before I ever saw a ghostbusters, so I never made the comparisons until much much later in life. I always just found it to be a really fun, goofy movie that I still quote all the time

[@denellelloyd1280]

I love the absurdity of this movie! One of the first DVDs I ever bought and I still have it! For me it is the goofy nature of the movie that I love, it never takes itself seriously and just allows you some mindless fun

[@memecity9849]

"I want some ice cream" "What flavor?" "I doesn't matter. It's for my ass"

[@sriver004]

LMAOOO

[@seancorrigan7448]

Great chemistry between the actors in this. The shampoo stuff was genius 😂

[@TheFirstExelion]

Can't believe you reviewed this one! I LOVE this movie, I remember watching it as a kid and thought it was so much fun, even as a rewatch is very enjoyable.

[@damark376]

Evolution is top tier childhood nostalgia for me. The flaws don't matter, it's just a good time ❤

[@TarvouldsQuest]

This is unironically a top 3 movie to me. Thank you Chris for highlighting it.

[@FricknA]

What are the other two?

[@TarvouldsQuest]

@@FricknA Wayne's World, The Replacements

[@madcircle0461]

@@TarvouldsQuestreplacements is underrated as hell. And man the chick who co stars in it is sooooo hot.

[@jimbubbatube]

"There's ALWAYS time for lubricant!"

[@chrisjones1941]

Oh Chris, you have no idea how much this movie is a guilty pleasure for me too. And the sound track is so fresh. Until this day. Thanks for the review my man

[@jobsmine]

Me and my family love this film. Hilarious, witty, and great sense of humor. Man how I miss the time we spent as a family watching films like these.

[@SirPsychoSidekick]

The fact that this movie is being talked about in 2023 makes me so happy. So underrated! This movie is so damn funny!

[@DASfilms]

The Stuckman is back. Thank you for reviewing this gem, totally unexpected but delightful treat.

[@imjackm2174]

Orlando jones was too funny in this, he’s got some many good lines I still use to this day

[@Heyitsallgoodman]

Me too!

[@GortonIma]

GREAT GOOGAMOOGA.

[@imjackm2174]

@@GortonIma ice cream. Oh yeah what flavour? It don’t matter, it’s for my ass 😂

[@imjackm2174]

@@Heyitsallgoodman ira irrrrrrraaaaaaa

[@stephendexheimer7914]

I absolutely love this movie, the first time I saw this my mom had seen it on HBO and knew I would love it and we heavily bonded over this movie, an underrated film

[@wrenwry]

Just a fun movie to watch, it really deserves more credit (right alongside The Faculty)

[@MrLazerCatt]

Lemme tell you something, this movie HOLDS THE FUCK UP!!! it's sooooo good. This and Osmosis Jones was a classic childhood double feature.

[@namona98]

Yesss, was not expecting this. Watched this movie over 100 times as a kid

[@VicCross]

Evolution, Mystery Men, Galaxy Quest... Some pretty awesome, yet underrated movies. Just FUN movies. Something that has been missing in entertainment for a very long time.

[@kolbycrossley5671]

One of my favorite movies from when I was a kid. No one ever talks about it and I die from laughter every time I re-watch it!

[@ConnerNielsen6]

This movie sucks, but I’m glad you like it Chris. I like hearing your personal history with it.

[@VegimorphtheMovieBoy]

LOVE Evolution. Need to see it again. Its been a while. So much fun, and the scene where David Duchovny moons the general always cracks me up XD

[@whitemike1221able]

"It's moving to his junk" TAKE THE LEG!! 🤣 always laugh when I think of that scene

[@exploringthroughmyPOV]

Thank you so much for covering this. I adored evolution as a 10 year old😂

[@daybertimagni4841]

IMO, this movie just isn’t funny. The ‘comedy’ was so forced (obviously this is very subjective).

[@David-hs9su]

I never thought you'd talk about this movie, but I'm glad you did. I can't explain why but the movie's sense of humor is just right up my alley. I find myself rewatching it occasionally and enjoying it just as much each time haha

[@dani.p]

I love this movie 😆 it's so funny I watched it in the theatre (in my hometown, a little small city in Chile... in september 2001)

[@castortroy6588]

When Stifler does the bird call in this movie had me crying with laughter

[@178fluffy]

Head and Shoulders scene is so funny too

[@castortroy6588]

@@178fluffy and the ice cream bit 🤣

[@JordanMaitlen]

Man I haven’t seen this movie in YEARS. I had this huge chill of nostalgia gif when the notification popped up.

[@Sparkmovement]

Absolutely LOVE this movie. One of those "random rentals" that turned out to be on of the good ones.

[@ChefBrianTsao]

I fucking love this movie

[@rufiredup90]

My family absolutely loved this movie. I was 11 when this movie came out and I absolutely adored it. It’s hilarious and whole lotta fun. Part of me kinda hates the fact that it is forgotten by most people.

[@Ricman78]

Lol I use "cacaw cacaw tookie tookie" to get my kids to come downstairs for dinner sometimes. Loved this movie but it hasn't aged well.

[@cloudybrains]

Literally one of my favorite movies from my childhood.

[@kevinellis184]

I loved this movie. Sean William Scott was so funny and David Duchovny has such a good dry sense of humor.

[@lizzam]

I laughed out loud when they referred Selenium as the active ingredients of the Head and Shoulders Dandruff shampoo. It was clever and unexpected, but not winking to the camera like in Wayne's World. if anything it's closer to Pizza Hut's relationship with TMNT. I still remember Selenium in the periodic table just because of this scene.

[@brandonwilkins8937]

Legit thought I was the only one who looks back on this movie in a fond way non-ironically. Great review!

[@Keroruto]

I remember watching the animated series that's a sequel to the movie couple years before being aware there was a movie. Now that's a forgotten show

[@BugsyFoga]

The weird attempt to make a ghostbusters of the early 2000s.

[@GameEsthetics]

One of my favorite movies as a kid! Evolution and Joe Dirt played on repeat on our black box.. 🤫

[@everymankitchen]

Naw dude you're right this movie has a special place for me too.

[@wakeangel2001]

Evolution makes me think of the real life phenomenon of banded iron formations. About 3 billion years ago when the first photosynthetic organisms had evolved, the oxygen they produced would react with iron dissolved in the water and settle at the bottom, but the oxygen was toxic to many of these primitive organisms, and too much of it would cause them to die off, meaning oxygen production would stop and you'd get a stripe of regular non-iron rich rock, and this would go back and forth until they evolved the ability to use oxygen in their metabolism. The aliens' battle to become oxygen tolerant (anything that could live long enough in the oxygen rich environment of our atmosphere to give birth, hoping that one of its babies would be able to live in oxygen longer) is kind of like the banded iron event on fast forward. As silly as this movie is there is a nugget of real science buried in there is what I'm trying to get at.

[@wakeangel2001]

There was a short lived saturday morning cartoon based off this movie, it was kind of like the Godzilla cartoon from around that time. I remember the main antagonist was an intelligence that would keep emerging in new forms and they had to defeat it so it wouldn't complete its plan to overwhelm our world's biosphere or something like that...I didn't watch much of it...

[@410MaXiMuS]

Evolution is my jam. Love this flick.

[@jordibarguno]

This movie is hiiiiilarious! I would say Orlando Jones steals the movie.

[@danhenshall7022]

Another one of those underrated films that doesn't take itself seriously and definitely would not be allowed to be made today.

[@suburbanwhitedad7338]

Evolution is a straight classic. People are smoked out.

[@imwalkworse6298]

when i watched this we didnt really have the internet so i didnt know that the director of ghost busters did this film. So i didnt see is a ghost buster lite but its own thing.

[@AvelierPlays]

Evolution is the closest thing to a third Ghostbusters movie.

[@fedezero55]

Love this movie, I can watch it anyday and feel like a kid watching it for the first time

[@MunirRahool]

I love this movie, have seen many times, enjoyed every time. Any time anyone mentioned Head & Shoulder, I think of this movie.

[@apollo4657]

I absolutely LOVE this movie!

[@brasiliania]

I’ve watched this movie as a kid, I remember being scared and laughing at the same time 😂… And I also remember screaming Head & Shoulders when he mentioned Selenium, because it was in the description of the tv commercial dubbed in Portuguese, which as a child I memorized and would repeat every time it was on, my family was always annoyed by that 😂😂😂… Wow! This movie really brings me back in time 😂😂😂 So cool!!!

[@jimjohns9051]

It’s a really funny little film. Just silly and cheeky

[@tint1122]

Its stupid and hilarious! Loves this movie!

[@cainhollis-snow891]

Chris...you're not alone!

[@awildgrendel7148]

This movie was dope. Loved the cartoon.

[@jongon0848]

"How are you going in?" "Rectally." "NoOoOoOoOoOo!!!!"

[@Sammydplays]

Great movie from my childhood

[@LittenMandrake]

Really enjoyed the selections for this year's Halloween season. One Hour Photo and What Lies Beneath should be regarded as classics but unfortunately, film "buffs" and *cringe* "cinephiles" always dismiss the late 90s/early 2000s despite there being a lot of entertaining movies to be enjoyed from this era. The movie channel had The Skulls, Bedazzled, Frequency, Vertical Limit, Remember the Titans, Where the Heart Is, Rush Hour 2, Miss Congeniality, and yes Evolution on in regular rotation during this time and despite none of these going on to be seen as enduring classics, they have a lot of rewatch value even years later. One movie I would suggest watching from that era is The Glass House (2001) with Leelee Sobieski. I was shocked to learn years later that it made virtually no money (having been unfortunately released the week of 9/11) because absolutely everyone I knew had rented that and loved it that year. Another good one from a forgotten time.

[@FabricFool]

Loved this flick. When I moved to San Jose from San Diego, and I was all alone, and my dad died half a week before my new job started, and I was (did I mention) all alone in a new town in a new apartment, and across the parking lot from me a movie theater playing “Evolution”. I laughed. Laughed! My beloved father gone; lonely and scared as hell, and I was laughing. So yeah. It meant a lot to me too.

[@paulovenz8037]

This comment right here is why we need the magic of movies in our lives and society, hope you're doing well sir

[@EdmundLoh]

4:30 you mentioned Anton Yelchin! I think he’s mostly forgotten now. He died rather early, 2016. A shame because it looked like he was just getting started.

[@CrimsyCreates]

I've watched this movie so many times growing up that I completely get what you mean by the movie becoming a song to you. This movie is like comfort food to me, every line of dialogue, every sound effect or music used is engraved in my brain probably forever. Not only that, but the amazing creature designs in this movie is also one of the main reasons I started drawing so much as a young teen, because it inspired me to invent my own weird alien monsters and imagine how they would evolve. This movie is so important to me, thank you so much for reviewing it the way you did and making it feel super special all over again. ♡(ŐωŐ人)

[@mordaciousfilms]

As a kid, no joke this was my introduction to David Duchovny. I never watched X-Files when it was ON... that was something I only looked into as an adult but I LOVED this movie. I think it's a very creative and fun concept, it's funny, but much like GHOSTBUSTERS, they play it almost in such a way that you believe it. The characters make you believe in what's going on in the same way Dan Aykroyd can spew all this science jargon and you just nod like "ah... that checks out!"

[@QuincyKane]

This is a fun movie, and there ain't nothing wrong with that!

[@SuperSkeet1234]

The TAKE THE LEG scene still kills me lol

[@mrkochvideos]

This movie legitimately felt like a spiritual successor to Ghostbusters. The comedy and blocking and sci-fi vibe just feel like if you swapped some of the plot elements for ghosts, it would be a ghostbusters movie.

[@RobVespa]

What a disappointing misfire that could've been (but absolutely wasn't). What a shame! So much promise and talent wasted. This movie is NOT GOOD.

[@Zorro3k6]

You're right, I did not expect this review. But I still love it nonetheless. I didn't realized we are the same age. 2001 was when I was 13 and I loved this movie. I wasn't into the X-Files back then. Hell, I didn't really watch an episode of it until last year. But Evolution came into my head when I did reach season 7 and I always just thought it David's lack of involvement was due to Evolution specifically rather than contract disputes. Anyway, it's nice to see someone give this movie some love and I thank you for your review

[@creepyfellow]

This is actually one of my all time favorites as well. Though i'm not a fan of "Hangover" and "American Pie" comedy types, this gets the balance right. It might also be due to me being a X-Files junkie with multiple watch marathons...

[@matthewchance8835]

I thought this movie was great & it was really funny, I wasn't really a "Ghostbusters" fan, so I enjoyed this movie even more

[@wayneskipper6156]

This and Big Trouble are highly maligned, but I love em

[@bradencampbell464]

Big trouble - I'm assuming with Tim Allen. That is my favorite movie, hands down. The premise alone is so out there it's great. I saw it for the first time roughly a year after reading the book, and thought it was a brilliant adaptation. But, I'll still be a little bit of a dick and say the book was better. 😜

[@jazzercaster4749]

I saw this at the movies with me best friends who I'm still friends with today, always remembered it and really loved it. "Great gooley moogley" was burned in to my brain that day haha. Chris, if you liked this and rush hour around this time period check out Money Talks, Chris Tucker and Charlie Sheen, great comedy too.

[@481516snowman]

LOVED THE MOVIE!!! Me and my friend constantly quote it to each other constantly. Its bad, but absolutely GREAT!!!

[@marton_dobo]

I'm exactly 10 years younger than you but I also saw this movie around the time I was thirteen and it blew my mind. It was the perfect mix of sci-fi and comedy, just like Men in Black

[@MegaCrocosaurus92]

Bullshit you're the only one! Haha this has been a favorite of mine as well since I was younger. If its supposed to be not great than how come it's so fun and you only have good things to say about it? I get why you don't want to talk negatively about movies anymore but offer us some insight there if you're going to open the lid. I will say though that I wouldn't mind a remake if its interesting. Mostly because this wasn't supposed to be a comedy. When Reitman joined, that's when the tone got overhauled. Other than that, I'm perfectly fine with all the funny jokes, great acting and action.

[@somoscinelento]

I also grew up with Evolution and the Rush Hour films. I owned them on VHS and would watch them every now and then. They're very nostalgic to me.

[@onemansopinion8135]

I loved that you covered this film. I was browsing through my television just like two weeks ago and saw that it was on and started watching it and enjoyed it for what it was worth. Just a good silly comedy.

[@3p5il0n]

Duuuude!!! LOVED Evolution! Such a carefree 90s-feeling movie! Thanks for this video) Enjoyed it a lot.

[@danaberry149]

Some of my earliest memories I have in life are of this movie, i have this image of watching the opening scene of the meteor impact on this enormous box TV in the living room of my first house, when I was 2 or 3. Maybe a bit intense of a film for a toddler but hey, I’ve loved movies my entire life 🤷‍♂️ thanks Evolution

[@RobbertNyhan]

No no no. This is an amazing movie. This and Eight Legged Freaks will be the best 2 funny horror movies for me from the early 2000's!