Explosions, drug dealing, endorphin extracting, projectile weapons, and a high speed pursuit. And to think that coming in peace meant no violence whatsoever. One thing is certain: it’s Christmas in Houston, and a psychopathic alien is on the loose, injecting non-junkies with heroin like there’s no tomorrow. Sounds like a gift that keeps on giving, doesn’t it? Surely the victims would beg to differ, but hey, when you have a villain who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, you can bet that he is as ruthless as he is thirsty. How’s that for a deadly combination?

Caine and Smith may not see eye to eye, but they’re my kind of guys. They keep the peace and immerse themselves in the chaos, all the while remaining as vigilant as can be. I gotta hand it to ’em; they’re no pushovers and they’re not afraid to put their necks on the line, even if it means leaving themselves vulnerable to a high velocity flesh-puncturing disc. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of it because once it strikes, it doesn’t play nice. It’s surprising how something so small can be lethal, isn’t it? On that note, Talec, the evil alien, doesn’t say much, but I can picture him thinking, “I wonder how I can take out multiple victims in one fell swoop. I’ve got it! I’ll take a CD and give it a razor-sharp edge. No one will see that coming.” If that isn’t a stroke of genius, I don’t know what is.

If you’re in the mood for an adrenaline rush, if you’re looking to be on the edge of your seat, you won’t be disappointed. The action scenes, along with the stunts, are so lively, so high-octane that you’d be hard-pressed not to enjoy them. It’s intense stuff, and you have, what, three or four shootouts. I don’t recall the exact number, but the grocery shootout is my favorite because of how over-the-top it is, and I enjoyed seeing the two aliens outsmart each other. There is also a high-speed car chase that involves sidewalk driving, glass breaking, and disrespecting authority; a scene in which Azeck, the good alien, explodes and cremates himself in a back car seat; and a finale in which Caine and Talec go toe to toe. How’s that for a wild and crazy time in Houston? I have a feeling the residents won’t be visited by an alien anytime soon, but if they are, I wouldn’t doubt that they’re prepared for such madness.

I have gone on for way too long about Dark Angel, but I must say that it kept me entertained, which I can’t deny. I’m glad that at no point were my cranial fluids sucked out by an alien, and I can sleep at night knowing that isn’t likely to happen. Or is it?