Reacher's Alan Ritchson Starred In A Forgotten Sci-Fi Movie You Can Stream For Free

Alan Ritchson is Jack Reacher in Prime Video's "Reacher," and the actor has firmly cemented a relentlessly fun, nuanced interpretation of the popular vagabond spy throughout three seasons. Ritchson brings great richness and vulnerability to Reacher like never before, while playing him as the unpredictably no-nonsense protagonist we know and love from Lee Child's eponymous novel series. Ritchson, however, has proven his incredible range time and again, starring in everything from off-kilter stories like "Blood Drive" to ridiculously fun genre clichés like "Fast X." Some of these roles highlight his natural knack for comedy ("Reacher" itself has shown us glimmers of great comedic timing), and 2015's "Lazer Team" happens to be one of the genre films that put these skills to use.

Unfortunately, this Matt Hullum-helmed action comedy/sci-fi plays like a straight-edged B-movie, making it a somewhat questionable watch if you're looking for something more polished or genuinely humorous. That said, this is a crowdfunded project (which managed to raise $2.4 million), which is why some of its choppy, uneven undertones are to be expected. Ritchson's presence is rather interesting here, as his character is born into fulfilling a heroic purpose, which creates much of the pseudo-serious tension that is barely sustained throughout "Lazer Team."

It is worth noting that "Lazer Team" already had a dedicated fan base by the time it was released in theaters, as it was the first feature from Austin-based studio, Rooster Teeth. Now, Rooster Teeth is known for the "Red vs. Blue" series on YouTube, which is essentially a string of super-short clips featuring deadpan humor, which works really well with the platform's format. However, the genuine wit and humor that defines this popular series is nowhere to be found in this feature-length foray — this is a shame, as it could've been a perfectly charming B-movie without any annoying quirks.

The biggest problem with "Lazer Team" is that it does not take advantage of the comedic talent inherent in the cast and crew, as it leans on a shoddy CGI extravaganza to sell its premise. This doesn't work in its favor, as dedicating the film's scarce resources to a tighter, better script would've been money well spent, but one must applaud the creators for being ambitious. After all, even big-budget tentpole movies often stuff a decent story with expensive special effects, which evolves into a bloated, convoluted mess devoid of substance.

As for the premise, the film opens in 1977, which is when the government uncovers an extraterrestrial transmission by a friendly alien race, who warn humans about a hostile alien race known as the Worg. The Worg aim to destroy Earth soon (although nobody cares to ask why), prompting the friendlier aliens (dubbed the Antareans) to send us a battle suit meant for someone known as the Champion of Earth. The government starts training a random child named Adam from birth, making sure that this kid will grow up to be capable of claiming the suit and the title, as he is destined to be the planet's savior. After 38 years, Adam (Ritchson) gears up to fulfill his life mission, but it is inadvertently hijacked by four bumbling men who find themselves thrust into (accidentally) embracing great power and responsibility.

Now, this is a perfectly solid sci-fi comedy premise, as the comedic potential of a group of perceived losers inadvertently saving Earth from a deadly alien invasion is massive. Unfortunately, Hullum isn't interested in creating these wit-infused character dynamics (or even situational humor), as the four everyman characters come off as badly improvised skits that overstay their welcome for entirely too long. 

Apart from the occasional dated (read: misogynistic) joke that will make you roll your eyes, the rest of "Lazer Team" is generic and inoffensive enough for a mindless binge watch. You can probably count the number of enjoyable moments on one hand, all of which feature Ritchson and highlight how criminally underutilized he is throughout the flick.

"Lazer Team" is currently streaming on Hoopla, Plex, and PlutoTV.