From Veer Magazine: By Montague Gammon III The newly premiered film "Atlantis Down," at the Commodore in Portsmouth, is a memorable piece of work. While poking holes in elements the screenplay - the bits of pseudo-scientific dialogue, the contrary-to-fact assumptions about astronauts and so forth - is easy, it ignores what is important about this movie. Director Max Bartoli, in company with editor Arzu Volkan, director of photography Eric Hurt, composer Rino Amato and special effects person Adam Rote have successfully conjured up a mood and established a tone that grips even the most skeptical viewer and compels real, unbroken interest in the film and the weirdly surreal story it tells. That's a demonstration of filmic skills that goes way beyond just "getting it done." Lots of folks can fine tune dialogue. It takes a special talent to communicate intangibles of feeling visually and aurally. The acting is generally low keyed, maybe even a bit plain in some cases, but there are moments that demonstrate real range. A middle aged man reliving moments of his childhood, a leading lady who projects a strong image of mysterious and quiet self- assurance with a bit of defensive arrogance, and the overall sense that real people are going through real crises testify to the abilities of these mostly local performers. In brief, and without giving away to much, the rather bored crew members of a slightly run down space shuttle suddenly find themselves on a strange, unpopulated planet, facing unknown but apparently deadly threats to their sanity and their lives.
Review of Atlantis Down
