Today’s quick review: At First Light. Sean (Theodore Pellerin), a teenager struggling to support his younger brother (Percy Hynes White) and their sick grandmother (Janet-Laine Green), finds himself at the center of a bizarre mystery when his estranged friend Alex (Stefanie Scott) has a close encounter with an alien presence. Suffering from amnesia and exhibiting strange powers, Alex turns to Sean to help her figure out what’s happening to her.
At First Light is a science fiction movie about an incident involving alien contact that permanently changes the lives of two teenagers. Alex and Sean must take care of one another as they try to make sense of Alex’s disappearance and the strange things happening to her since then. At First Light has well-drawn characters, a fairly engaging story, and overall sound craftsmanship, but it’s missing the payoff of other, similar sci-fi movies.
At First Light earns points simply by accomplishing what it sets out to do. The plot unfolds at a reasonable pace, escalating smoothly from teeneage drama to the mystery surrounding Alex. The characters aren’t outstanding, but they are ae good fit for the scope of the story, and their actors fit naturally into the roles. There isn’t much in the way of spectacle or special effects, but what little the movie has is used in the right places.
At First Light delivers enough answers for the story to hang together, but it still leaves the audience wanting more. The story builds to a clear finale without fully clarifying the stakes, and Sean and Alex wind up taking a fairly passive role in the plot. Without a major revelation to cap things off, At First Light has a hard time establishing its own identity. Its execution is fine, but its story doesn’t have anything special to set it apart.
At First Light has enough going on to engage science fiction fans but not enough to win over skeptical viewers. The movie has sound craftsmanship and makes good use of what appears to be a limited budget, but it doesn’t have the impact or originality to leave a lasting impression. Curious fans of budget sci-fi may want to give it a shot. Those looking for a deep, thrilling, or awe-inspiring watch will want to pass.
For antoher story about an alien encounter leading to extraordinary gifts, try Terminus, Phenomenon, or Chronicle. For a darker, stranger budget sci-fi movie with a similar setup, try The Signal.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for competent sci-fi without the unique angle to set it apart.