9 minutes to travel to an Alien stronghold. 4 minutes to survey area along with minor communications. 10 minute space dogfight. Total: 23 minutes of a bunch of two-manned fighters, everyone in helmets, all talking. We have no idea who anyone is, we feel nothing about what's happening, we don't connect with a single person.
Story begins around the 23 minute mark when one of the two-manned spacefighters crashes on an Alien planet.
You can completely skip the first 23 minutes and loose absolutely nothing. It's (nearly) meaningless. Even the sfx is pretty bad during this sequence. It exist only to tell you that earth is in conflict with an alien species and during the conflict one of the ships crashed on the planet below. That's it.
The story is about being stuck in a desolate place, inhospitable and dangerous. Early on, it even has elements of horror. There is a palpable desperation and fear that's portrayed brilliantly by Adler (Phoebe Sparrow), who is essentially a one-person act. This is her film and she delivers.
In order to enjoy this film, skip (or fast forward) the first 23 minutes. It means nothing and its frenetic (crazy) pace is in sharp contrast to the rest of the film. Secondly, expect a _slow_ emotional drama - with touches of horror, fear, exploration, some action and finally... the force of will driven by desperation.
This isn't a cutesy, cartoony hollywood blockbuster aimed at children and heralded by video game playing armchair warriors. There's a sense of realism. This turns many people off that want to be entertained by glitz and a Jack Slater ('Last Action Hero' - one of my fav films) kind of star.
It deserves better than it's current 3.2 rating (by 568 as of 10jan2021). I'm rating the film from the 23 minute mark (which is basically where it starts) at 8 - but giving it a 10 to offset the soul-sapping rating of 3.2. If you can adjust your expectations (this isn't Star Wars) and skip that dreadful, first 23 minutes: you'll find another hidden gem.
Story begins around the 23 minute mark when one of the two-manned spacefighters crashes on an Alien planet.
You can completely skip the first 23 minutes and loose absolutely nothing. It's (nearly) meaningless. Even the sfx is pretty bad during this sequence. It exist only to tell you that earth is in conflict with an alien species and during the conflict one of the ships crashed on the planet below. That's it.
The story is about being stuck in a desolate place, inhospitable and dangerous. Early on, it even has elements of horror. There is a palpable desperation and fear that's portrayed brilliantly by Adler (Phoebe Sparrow), who is essentially a one-person act. This is her film and she delivers.
In order to enjoy this film, skip (or fast forward) the first 23 minutes. It means nothing and its frenetic (crazy) pace is in sharp contrast to the rest of the film. Secondly, expect a _slow_ emotional drama - with touches of horror, fear, exploration, some action and finally... the force of will driven by desperation.
This isn't a cutesy, cartoony hollywood blockbuster aimed at children and heralded by video game playing armchair warriors. There's a sense of realism. This turns many people off that want to be entertained by glitz and a Jack Slater ('Last Action Hero' - one of my fav films) kind of star.
It deserves better than it's current 3.2 rating (by 568 as of 10jan2021). I'm rating the film from the 23 minute mark (which is basically where it starts) at 8 - but giving it a 10 to offset the soul-sapping rating of 3.2. If you can adjust your expectations (this isn't Star Wars) and skip that dreadful, first 23 minutes: you'll find another hidden gem.