Director: Drew Bolduc
Year: 2019
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Science Fiction
Plot:
Several years after aliens arrived on Earth, their perceived threat prompts the government to prepare a group of kids to lead a mission to a space station near to a potential new planet to live on. While preparing to leave, they find their mission interrupted by an alien plot to stop it but are able to get away and land on a nearby planet where they're forced to band together to survive the elements and rescue the president who invited them along. As they try to accomplish their mission, they find a fellow survivor hindering their efforts and must try to utilize their skills in order to survive and accomplish their mission.
Review:
There wasn't a whole lot to this one. One of the film's bright spots is the absolutely stellar and impressive special effects work that goes into the numerous conflicts and encounters with the aliens. From the opening autopsy where they remove the creature from inside the one individual to the girls' dream sequence, it becomes obvious that the special effects here are going to be old-school based and stay really fun. The design for the aliens, with their oval-shaped bodies, large eyes in the middle of the shape and tentacles flipping around has a great look that's created through practical means which is really appreciated. With the fantastic gore also showing up through practical means later on in the various attacks on the kids throughout the planet with their chases keeping this one moving along often enough to make for a fun time, it’s special effects are perfectly in tune with the low-budget here with the vast woodlands in the forest looking rather enjoyable. These here are the film’s positive points.
This one has a few issues with it. The main factor to be had with this one is the absolutely banal and slow-paced tempo that plays out in the first half here which is rather disappointing. Taking way too long to get the kids' purpose for traveling to the stars as we get too much about their home-life and the pre-launch prep about the choice of letting kids on a suicide mission in the first place. Despite trying to accurately bring up a valid point which is brought up numerous times in their meeting which causes that factor to get brought up as well, this one just takes forever to get going with the main sequence taking place so late in the film's short running time that it's a slough to get to the good scenes. The sentimentality expressed here, with the kids trying to connect and trust each other in this instance but clearly not able to do so based on their backgrounds, is cliched and feels forced, causing this to drag out even more.
On top of that, the film's other big problem is the aforementioned lack of comprehension in the storyline featured here. The idea of sending these kids, completely unqualified and utterly unprepared for what they're about to accomplish as the idea of the visit being a publicity stunt just makes no sense. There are so many great points about why the children are being prepared to go along on the journey that is brought up by the few proponents of the idea that it just stands out as being too logical as for why the plan to go forward takes place. Likewise, the idea of the supposed bodyguard they run into being the main threat they have to battle against is quite underwhelming, feeling as if it's coming completely out of nowhere with very little build-up or point like there's some extra point needed for them to do while on the planet as if the survival on a rugged planet aspect couldn't be accomplished. These here are what really hold this one back.
Overview: **/5
While there are some big issues to be had with the film, it's good points might be enough for those that aren't thrown off by the class to be a solid enough genre effort. Really give this a chance if you're a fan of this kind of ambitious low-budget sci-fi films or interested in checking it out, while those turned off by the class should heed real caution here.
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