The Alternate

Watched this last night with my husband, and we were both really impressed with this film. As filmmakers ourselves, it was so cool to see a character going through a really relatable struggle of trying to get their movie off the ground, and grappling with what they thought their filmmaking life would be and what the reality actually is.

We were engaged the entire time, especially with its fascinating concept that is surely going to inspire some conversation. The production value felt really high, and had solid performances all around. Great debut by a Alrik Bursell, looking forward to what he's got coming next.

It drives me up the wall when I read reviews that claim a film has terrible acting and a poor script when, in actuality, the production was fantastic.

The Alternate is such a film. It is cleanly shot, and the acting is top-notch, and I was wholly invested in the movie the entire time.

I am a big fan of sci-fi films, especially independent flicks. This movie has everything going for it. The plot is strong, the pacing is perfect, and the conclusion is satisfying.

I am a novelist and filmmaker, and it bothers me when I see people grading a movie poorly simply because a major studio did not do it and the project doesn't feature big-name actors.

I loved the movie and would recommend it to anyone interested in watching a cool story.

Low budget ? Sure.

Engaging storyline ? Indeed.

Decent acting? Yep.

Additionally, the film boasts some truly impressive camerawork.

Being its first feature movie, director Alrik Bursell has crafted a streamlined sci-fi romp that never boxes above its weight while telling a relatable premise. At about 85 minutes to the credit run, The Alternate wastes little time either pondering or explaining the scientific "hows" of its story. It's all made up, it doesn't matter, and you won't care. Solid and convincing, it keeps the audience invested in the outcome of it all.

What else can you wish for ?

This movie had a cool exploration of some interesting philosophical "what if" ideas through an original and intriguing sci-fi premise. Performances were just okay, but cinematography was solid: moody and dramatic. The music, sound design and editing were top notch. It felt a little bit like TV, but felt very pro for an independent movie. A bigger budget would fix that. Impressive first effort from the director. Excited to see what he does next!

If you like sci-fi or Twilight Zone-style explorations of of ontological questions (is it cheating if you're having sex with your wife in another dimension?), this is the one for you.

Here's a low budget Sci-Fi, that never manages to amaze but is also not terrible. The story is about a man that (in rather sketchy circumstances), creates a portal to an alternate reality, but once he sees how different it is, things get complicated and morals are tested. This is an engaging and thought provoking storyline, even though it never is pushed to it's full potential.

The acting is OK, if a little rusty in places, but i have to say, i really didn't like the female lead at all. It felt like she was trying too hard to differentiate between the 2 personalities of her characters.

The script was a little ropey too. That being said, the story develops well and with a sensible running time, it doesn't drag at all, unlike some similar movies.

I did enjoy this movie, but i must confess, i think that could be mostly because i like this type of film, because after all, when i think about it back, this didn't really add anything exciting to the genre. So if you are like me and like the idea of mysterious psuedo-science, then you'll probably like this too, if not, then you may feel like passing this one by.