Viewed in
2012
Formats
HDTV
Premise
Wilford Brimley stars as a member of an old folks home who discovers the neighbor's swimming pool has rejuvenating powers.
Liked
Themes of aging.
Disliked
Outdated vibe.
Thoughts
Interesting but hard to enjoy.
I liked that the aliens were benevolent, going against type. I also enjoyed the thought-provoking themes and discussions about aging, mortality, and roles of the elderly family members. It was definitely arguable whether some characters did the right thing in the end.
However, there were many outdated aspects to the movie. For example, the alien designs were the typical large-eyed, green-skinned humanoids. Special effects were archaic, except for the well-done puppetry in one scene. Plot logic and pacing also did not age well. It was implausible to believe they could keep a secret for that long. In addition, if the mothership was so powerful, why couldn't it just grab the cocoons by itself? Lastly, Steve Guttenberg's character was flat out annoying.
Cocoon had some good ideas, but overall, time was not kind to this movie.
