Ejecta- Aliens Among Us?
Ejecta is based on a screenplay by Canadian author Tony Burgess – his most famous is Pontypool, about a zombie-like invasion as told from a radio station. In the last few years he’s also penned Septic Man, more of a body horror, and Hellmouth, a retro styled horror film, and now he’s ventured into the realm of science fiction.
Once upon a time the sun had a storm and ejected a large mass which hurled through space to Earth. Is it the end of the world? Or maybe we just get a little light show?
Set on the night of the sunstorm, Ejecta follows William (Bill) Cassidy, played by genre star Julian Richings, who is a recluse whose limits his social interaction is on the web under the name SpiderNevi. As SpiderNavi, he talks about astronomy and his own encounter with aliens 39 years before. Joe Sullivan, played by Adam Seybold who was also in Burgess’ latest project Hellmouth, receives an email from SpiderNavi and travels fourteen hours to meet with this ‘white whale’ of the UFO community. And, of course, to film it.
Not really a spoiler, Munch’s The Scream.
Sullivan’s documentary footage is part of the movie, while the rest is the footage of a shadowy military organization who wants to know what Bill knows. The lead investigator is Doctor Tobin, played by Lisa Houle who played Sydney Briar in another Burgess’ project, Pontypool. She has a number of agents and soldiers to do her bidding, one of which will be familiar to Orphan Black fans – Ari Millen.
The story is told non-linearly with a slow reveal. The tightness and tension of this script is more akin to Tony Burgess’ Pontypool, than last year’s Septic Man, with minimal reliance on effects and more on the actors. There is some action, including the obligatory ‘run through the woods’ but the screen is so dark you don’t get motion sickness. This movie makes excellent use of shadows – especially using Richings in profile and under lit. It also grants Richings a much more both nuanced and animated role than he’s often allowed. And it’s his interaction with the others that carries the film.
Just a friendly discussion.
It’s great seeing this well regarded character actor be center stage. The story is an interesting take on both alien invasion, and who is perpetrating the horror.
