Lancer 21

Lancer 21 has a runtime of only six minutes, yet it manages to deliver compelling moments in the life of a fighter pilot aboard a space vessel. This space thriller draws heavy inspiration from several blockbuster sci-fi films, most notably Star Wars and Aliens. In fact, there are clear nods to Aliens in the dialogue, with near word-for-word references to the iconic movie. I also noticed influences from various jet fighter films, reinforcing the classic concept of high-speed aerial dogfights-only this time, in space.

In this short film, we follow the pilot of Lancer 21, a small space fighter, as he embarks on a mission to investigate a mysterious signal. However, things take a sudden and violent turn, transforming what was meant to be a simple task into a desperate fight for survival. The ending was so unexpected and haunting that I had to watch the film twice to catch all the subtle hints that had been there all along. It left me wondering-was this truly the full story, or is there more to come?