Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂
Willis Davidge (Dennis Quaid), a fighter pilot, crash lands on a hostile planet while shooting down an enemy lizardperson, Jeriba Shigan (Louis Gossett Jr.). They eventually stop being so murderous, learn each others' language and get over their differences.
Barry Longyear's original story apparently won both the Hugo and Nebula for best novella, and it's easy to see why, but also mystifying why anyone thought it was a good candidate for adaptation. The makeup is superb and so too is Gosset Jr. in particular, who manages genuinely alien affectation. The middle part of the film, where the two slowly bond during their long isolation, is very effective; it's just unfortunate that the final act mostly turns to schlocky action.
This kind of xenoanthropological story is one of my favourite types of science fiction but it's oh so hard to take seriously when seemingly grafted onto a 50s monster movie. You've got to love an ambitious failure.