Radius

Radius lured me in with an interesting premise, but I stayed for the characters.

While watching this I came up with many versions of what was actually happening, but in the end the explanation itself was not required for me to enjoy this.

I liked the characters, their arcs, and the fact that the story was built around them. The writing was not as stupid as in many low budget sci-fi films, yet I can't really call this a sci-fi film, can I?

I mean, it was clearly marketed as a sci-fi mystery and even the titles suggests something like that, but it's actually a completely different movie.

Don't approach this as a sci-fi film with an easy explanation and if you enjoy emotionally packed films you will like this one.

I'm confused by the reviews that state that the ending was pointless. The movie starts after something mysterious happened and it never gets explained, but we see the result of it and that - in the end - horrors and wonders are helpless against what makes us human. I don't need a Marvel-Comic explanation why super-hero/villain comes into being, the story was really good and the movie is self-contained and thrilling.

It didn't break any barriers, did not change me or anything like that - it was solid, very very good entertainment and deserves every of its 8 points.

I took a flyer on this movie because the description looked interesting (and I also noted the guy from The Black List, which I'm a fan of, starred). I'm glad I did! The premise is one I don't recall ever having seen before and that was fun. If you give this a go try NOT to read the description because it'd be better to be trying to figure it out right along with the characters, but it won't ruin anything if you know going in.

I thought the acting was pretty good across the board and I very much appreciate the fact that it just jumps right in without any long setup work. Sometimes you absolutely need such setup work (and I'm always telling my impatient kids to give movies time to develop the story and characters) but in this case it works great to not have to get through it.

It's well-made from a technical standpoint and I don't think you'll have any complaints in that area.

As for complaints? The "twist" ending fell a little flat because as a writer myself I felt there was more interesting ways to go. That said, I wouldn't call it a bad ending, I think it works in the same sort of fatalistic way The Mist works (it's highly divisive, but I think The Mist is one of the best endings in movie history so you may want to use that as a guide to whether you're going to like this one or not - which is NOT to say they're identical or anything like that, I just mean in terms of tone). Whether you're let down or not I don't think you would be to the extent that it ruins the experience.

Really, for me, if you're expecting an all-time classic here then yeah, skip it because that's not what you're going to get. But, if you want a decent movie that I think will keep you interested throughout, is definitely on the dark side (something I like in movies) and that may surprise you a little bit in terms of story and in terms of how good it is then yeah, I think this is one to give a try. I for one liked it and have no problem recommending to others.

One thing I have always loved about Sci-Fi is how they can flesh out a thought experiment. The how/why something happens is secondary to what chain of events occurs when you start with a catalyzing thought/event.

In this case the the thought experiment is what would happen if everything that came within 50ft of a person dropped dead instantly. How would that person react, how would they figure it out? That was the portion of the story that I found compelling and interesting. The second part of the thought experiment, is what if there is another person who renders his powers safe.

The second aspect of the story, is that person in question, wakes up with amnesia. He can't remember who he is or anything about his life. There is also another person who also can't remember her life, and happened to be in the car wreck with him right before he woke up.

The part I found less compelling was the backstory of the two main characters. It was an odd mystery thriller added on top, that was kind of at odds with the characters' arc. It also kind of made the ending seem morally OK (perhaps even blah), instead of poignant and/or tragic. For many viewers, I assume, the added layer may make it more enticing, so I can't say it was bad, just not for me.

The ending did leave some unanswered questions, but that is to be expected and even desired for movies like this. Overall the movie was very well done, and worth watching.

Saw this on the Horror Channel as part of their Frightfest season. Never know what you're going to get, a lot of movies they show don't live up to much. But on the other hand a few are a cut above average and this is one such example. It's a bit slow to start with but is well made & it gradually drew me in. Certainly an interesting concept, a good combination of sci fi and horror. Seeing people & animals suddenly drop dead is very eerie, no matter how many times it is shown. Worth a view