Spectral

Something sinister is killing soldiers in war torn Moldova. A weapons geek is sent out to help. Simple plot, but well executed with a couple of twists. The acting and effects were good, it moved along at a good pace and in general it was a good movie.

This is what Hollywood does best; a massive CGI galore that supplements a mediocre storyline that has as many plot holes as a Swiss cheese.

Initially I hadn't heard about the movie, and knew nothing about what it was about, prior to getting the chance to sit down and watch it. I did snoop around on IMDb just moments before sitting down to watch it. And what made me stay in the seat was that IMDb mentioned that it was about a special-ops team dispatched to fight supernatural beings. What is not to like about the supernatural?

So I sat down to watch "Spectral" with literally no expectations. So I was genuinely blown away come the ending of the movie. Wow, this was a special effects movie of massive proportions. Both the visual effects and the sound effects were amazing, and they alone make it worthwhile to sit down and watch "Spectral".

As for the acting, well, let's just say that this is not Shakespearian acting on any levels, nor is it acting that would incur any kind of statue or trophy. However, I will say that James Badge Dale really carried the movie singlehandedly with his performance as Clyne. He was the only one who stood out in this myriad of impressive CGI effects and blasting sub-woofers.

If you sit down to watch "Spectral" and expect a grand story, then you will be sorely disappointed, because this movie is essentially as simplistic as they come. A group of special-ops are trapped behind enemy lines, fighting a deadly enemy that they can't see with the naked eye. And that is it; the entire storyline summarized in a single sentence.

But to make it better, then this simplistic storyline has more plot holes than a Swiss cheese. So many things just didn't make any logical sense, and equally many things just didn't add up. But hey, all these shortcomings were instantly blown away by a cascade of impressive CGI special effects and a constant bombardment of sound waves from the sub-woofer.

"Spectral" is the type of movie that you just unhook you brain and lean fully back in the chair and enjoy all the pretty images on the screen. A perfect choice of movie for a lazy evening or if you are nurturing yourself back together after a binge...

Not a bad movie. In fact better than some of the huge budget offerings intended for cinema, lately.

Don't get me wrong, it's got all the usual clichés. A heroic scientist, tough American soldiers who don't take no s___ and distrust heroic scientists, and the tough female agent. It's also got it's plot holes and as is often the case with this genre, the heroes always manage to be stood in the right place to not get killed, while "nameless soldier" gets it! They also love a montage, where incredible weapons and sciency stuff can be created in only a few hours! But I could forgive all this, because it was fun to watch and didn't feel like a chore at any point.

Sure, it won't fire your brain cells to their full extent, but like I said, it has nice touches and a very nice feel, visually. It is reminiscent of recent computer games, such as Gears of War or Titanfall, leading me to believe the creators may be gaming fans. They do get that feel right however. I'd even go as far as to say, give Paul W S Anderson (a staple game/movie director) his WELL deserved marching orders and let this team handle the next game to movie conversion. They seem to understand the look well.

It also borrows from previous action/sci-fi movies at some stages. I got a feel of Aliens at one point, and the overall story is VERY reminiscent of Final Fantasy The Spirits Within. There are lot's of little touches throughout, that made me feel I'd been here before, but they never went to the 'ripping off' point, but more a nostalgic tip of the hat to previous sci-fi.

The acting is all solid, aside from moments where the characters don't seem quite troubled enough, considering they may be snuffed out by an invisible force at any moment, but that is often the case with these movies, due to the short amount of time they have to set the scene, develop characters and tell the story, but aside from this, everyone is likable, if a little two dimensional overall. I think this is why serialised tories are taking off so much in recent years.

The visual effects are also very nice and miles better than I expected for a straight to Netflix movie. I can't recall any moment where I cringed at the effects. The war-torn sets were also nicely done.

Don't go in expecting some sci-fi epic that will change your world view. Go in expecting a bit of fun, with some nice effects and a simple story. Not a bad way to spend an hour and forty eight minutes, if you like sci-fi.

Very good movie, I would recommend it to others seeking a new science fiction story. The second I saw the cover to this movie I was a bit interested I watched the trailer and was sucked in. I immediately watched the film, and loved it. Great idea for a movie, excellent CGI and special effects, good story though it was a tiny bit too short and I wish we got to see more details of plot lines and more action, but not much more is needed. Also it did not have a plot like most sci-fi movies today, meaning it was unique, immediately eye catching and did not have a plot that was too "tryhard" or left me lost or confused for half of the movie by putting too many side stories into it. Overall, it was one of the best movies I've seen lately.

A civil war in Moldova sees US forces assisting in the fight against insurgents. They end up facing something far more dangerous. Scientist Dr Mark Clyne is flown there when the hyperspectral imaging goggles he invented capture an image of something that is impossible to explain; a ghostly human figure. Technicians thought it was just a glitch, CIA officer Fran Madison believes that it is some sort of active camouflage used by the insurgents and the locals think it is literally seeing ghosts. A team, accompanied by Clyne and Madison, is sent to get a closer look and hopefully get samples. What they find is like nothing they expected and soon they are fighting for their survival.

I thought this was a solid action film. There are plenty of genre clichés but there are also some decent twists... my early theories about the nature of the spectral images were all wide of the mark. When the truth is revealed I thought it was original and interesting. There is lots of exciting action from start to finish; the special effects are pretty good. The cast is solid with James Badge Dale doing a fine job as Clyne and Emily Mortimer impressing as Madison... she even got to use the Russian she is fluent in. Secondary characters are a little cliché; soldiers who don't initially take to Clyne then bicker when things go wrong. Also somewhat silly is how Clyne acts like 'MacGyver'; repurposing a load of equipment to make new weapons when he realises the nature of the threat. Overall though if you don't want a film that needs to be taken seriously but do want lots of action and isn't too gory or sweary for younger viewers then this is worth a watch.