Native

It is rare that I sit through such a boring and totally bland movie just to write an honest review after reading 3 totally dishonest reviews.

Cheap sets, absolute rubbish graphics, and very little plot. I have no idea why an actor of the caliber of Rupert Graves would take on this project. I had almost fallen asleep by the 10 minute mark, but forced myself to stay awake and keep watching in the hope that something interesting might happen. By the 30 minute mark nothing of significant had happened, but I was committed to see it through to the end.

It took me until about the 60 minute mark for the penny to drop, but I blame the boredom for it taking me so long to work out what the end result of this movie was going to be.

The acting gets this movie 2 stars, both actors, Rupert Graves and Ellie Kendrick do an OK job with what they had.

I highly recommend that if you are going to pay to see this movie, do your self a favour and find a nice cup of coffee or two to waste your money on instead.

I'm not surprised, reading the reviews, how many people hated this movie. I'd put it down to most people being idiots, completely unable to look beyond the superficiality of their own expectations re: plot, awaiting EVENTS. Eyeroll. Truly brilliant movie. Devolution of the species. Psychology. Spirituality. Love. (In)human connection. Passion.

Philosophical. Existential. Slowwww - which allows time for deep reflection.

Oh and kudos to Baltic Fleet, wicked soundtrack.

One of the coolest most original thought-provoking movies I've seen in recent times. I definitely recommend to anybody with a brain, a bit of compassion and interest in humanity.

While it was very slow, I loved how Rupert portrayed Canes struggles. I like to believe the characters had a happy ending. It was slow, but in the end when all the little details gathered I really did enjoy Native.

Really enjoyed this movie, the acting was excellent and the story engaging. Definitely for true fans of the scifi genre. If you're looking for a superficial CGI driven western in space this isn't it.

This is a great movie for people who aren't expecting to be spoonfed a plot, and don't demand splashy CGI and space battles in their sci-fi. If you like the genre for space operas and explosions, you will be bored and probably confused.

Rupert Graves and Ellie Kendrick star as Cane and Eva, alien colonists on a singular mission. Their culture is based on utilitarian uniformity, enforced by their telepathic connections - which are all the stronger in rare "twins" - and motivated by working for the good of the Hive. But, as they near Earth, the messily unique individualism of human life and its strange products, together with internal tragedy, cause the colonists' resolve to unravel.

So far, so simplistic... and this is in many ways a very simple, very pared back movie with few truly original turns. The "humans are chaotic but beautiful" trope has been played out plenty of times before - but that's not truly what Native rests on. The austere sets, mood lighting, and telepathy sequences replete with arthouse shots and sound design create a claustrophobic atmosphere that has more in common with small production theatre than most sci fi movies, and makes for a wholly character driven journey that explores concepts of individualism, identity, self-reliance and the aching need to connect - in any way possible.

There are a few mis-steps and the movie does waver a little into cliche and over-explanation, but more with the feeling of invoking familiar iconography than truly being a boring retread. With great performances and prickly chemistry from the two leads, and a deftness of world-building that leaves lots to the viewer's imagination - plus a neatly uncompromising ending - I would recommend this a million times over any recent big budget laser battle fiasco.

After all, science fiction at its best dissects what it means to be human, and explores how we engage with the possibilities of our nature, our future, and our identity... and those are exactly the issues at Native's heart.