The ‘B’ movie science fiction of the fifties has always been a huge favorite. The combination of cheaper…no, classic creatures from the stars or within the earth battle with naive effects, even sometimes more naive lantern-jawed heroes and heroines who battle to save their town, city, and mankind before it was humankind.
Invaders from Proxima B will enter your personal view screen with an animated battle looking like a cross between an independent video game and Walter Lantz-looking animation of spacecraft, all to a score sounding in parts like James Horner’s Star Trek II, The Wrath of Khan. Switching between the animation and live action, Howie Jankins (Ward Roberts), a touring keyboardist, just got home on a one-night stay before heading out. This does not sit well with his wife, Jane (Samantha Sloyan), or his daughter.
Arguments aside, you see the UFO streaking across the sky, looking like the opening from It came from Outer Space, even to the point of crashing headlong into the Jankin’s home. Try to convince his wife to get up with her, saying it’s just a drone.   He finds the crash site on fire only to disappear suddenly since that’s what space crafts do when you try to prove they exist. Only this one leaves a trail of green goo.   The trail leads to hiding high above in the wood again, looking like the George Pal 1953 version of War of The Worlds set when they first meet the Martian; he comes face to face with Chuck remarking, “Don’t tell me you never farted.” Startled, he bangs his head on a beam and knocks himself out.
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“Howie and Chuck change bodies so he can save Earth from being auctioned off to the highest bidder.”
Invaders from Proxima B is family-friendly, in some parts slapstick alien encounters. Drawing from the TV series Alf, Chuck, with his big eyes, fur, and sometimes patronizing voice, and also by Ward Roberts, there are some differences. For instance, Chuck doesn’t eat cats but can trade bodies with people.   It is not the same as Sargon and Thalassa from the classic Star Trek TV series Return to Tomorrow, but Howie and Chuck change bodies so they can save Earth from being auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Howie must battle Willie (Richard Riehle) and Marvin Felson (Mike C. Nelson), a father and son agent wearing Hawaiian Shirts. Along the way, one meets Esther Terrestrial (Sarah Lassez) and Nathan Droogal (Jeremiah Birkett), an exterminator who casts out evil demons.
Effects budget aside, this romp makes effective, if low-tech, practical effects such as masks and very little CGI for body switches, yet there are the evil Draconians and their spacecraft. This film style must always have an evil empire that wants Earth.   No demolishing for a hyperspace bypass, now is just simply commerce.
Invaders from Proxima B is a family-friendly Space adventure along the line, so the techy yet fun Harry Winer’s Spacecamp with young Joaquin Phoenix and Kate Capshaw or Joe Dante’s Explorers is aimed at the younger members, not older tentacles. Some adult moments remain, like a parody of John Travolta’s strut in Saturday Night Fever. Kids should enjoy it, and parents who watch along with them should also be amused. Good fun. So, set phasers for the giggles and raise eyebrows.