'Native' had a good deal going for it. A great idea, one of the best concepts for a lot of films seen recently. An attention grabbing cover. High appreciation for sci-fi, and there are good modestly-or-less-budget ones around. And an actor of high calibre in Rupert Graves. Wasn't so sure about the title though, seemed a bit misleading and mismatched.
Unfortunately, 'Native' disappointed on most levels, with thankfully a few things that stopped it from being worse or unwatchable. Another victim of good ideas but poorly executed (have seen a lot of these recently and it's getting frustrating and something of a peeve now). Really dislike it when potential is wasted and 'Native' is a very good example, if not one of or the worst, of this.
Starting with what was not so bad, 'Native' did have some slickness and atmosphere in the way it was shot.
Its best assets and worth one star each were the committed performances of Ellie Kendrick and especially Graves, showing himself to be a professional and giving his all even when the material is not good.
On the other hand, 'Native', photography aside, looks under-budgeted, especially in the cheap-looking sets that looked sparse and simplistic. The music was neither memorable or fitting and the quality of the sound tended to be intrusive. The direction meanders all over the place and the characters are underdeveloped severely.
Whereas the script and story has garnered some praise by a few, for me they were the sore spots of 'Native'. The script is even more flabby and flimsier than the characters while the story is dull from not having enough content and stretching what was there, structured in a meandering way and confused with an end twist that's neither interesting or surprising and too much left vague.
Summing up, a weak film but not unwatchable. 3/10 Bethany Cox
