Alien Prophecy is a pure thrill ride that ardent sci-fi fans and indie cinema lovers should experience.
This film is all the more amazing that it was made with a tiny crew and the man behind it, Lawrence Franzen, has gathered all the great filmmaking tricks used by the true innovators of cinema and put it into one film.
The best kind of films and tales are ones that keep you guessing and you have no idea where the story will go next. Alien Prophecy is one of those films.
From the outset you are introduced into a world that is unlike the one we live in, even though the emotions and characters are grounded in reality.
The prologue reveals that 62 million years ago an asteroid containing alien fossils smashes into the moon.
The film begins in present day as scientists discover that the alien material is a million times more combustible than any substance on Earth. This sets off a struggle between various governments and criminal organizations for control of the new resource.
Against this backdrop, Leolani, a modern-day oracle and environmental spy, has visions of destruction caused by burning the alien fuel. Akihiko Nimura, a mercenary ninja empowered by Hawaiian mysticism, facilitates a deal with a Colombian drug cartel to distribute the alien fuel on the black market. As the global conflict intensifies, Leolani has a chance encounter with Akihiko-and forces him into a final battle to stop an environmental apocalypse.
The fact that there is so much great material packed into this short runtime is a feat of filmmaking that has to be seen to be believed.
The acting is good even though most of the cast are made up of new faces. You are immersed into the lives of the characters that populate the film and are taken on a captivating journey as the film unfolds.
The film was shot in various locations around the world, which lends to the epic scope of the story.
Franzen has mastered the art of visual storytelling and doesn't rely on heavy exposition to tell a pretty complicated tale.
The sound track is great and sound effects do the trick. Some of the special effects may reveal the indie film nature of the project but they all pay off in the telling of the story and add to the fun factor of the viewing experience.
If you want to be thoroughly entertained by a story that keeps you on the edge, you need to check out Alien Prophecy.
