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Ejecta
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray A - America - Shout! Factory Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (30th August 2015). |
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The Film
 It’s frustrating when a film squanders potential. The writing on the wall is clear as to what could have been, yet the finished product comes across as little more than a commendable mess. “Ejecta” (2014) elicited such a feeling. Posited as a harsh look at how humanity has been experimented upon and manipulated by alien visitors, the film is ultimately a half-movie riddled with useless “found footage” and lacking in a clear narrative to lock in viewers. Directors Chad Archibald and Matt Wiele, working from a script by Tony Burgess, attempt to weave together three plot lines with the intention of having them culminate late in the film to provide answers. The juggling of too much information spread out across three interlinked stories proves to be a bit much for the film to handle, though, causing viewers to question what exactly is going on rather than presenting a clear vision we’re invested to see through to the end. The film opens with William Cassidy (Julian Richings) being interrogated by a covert group of soldiers, led by Dr. Tobin (Lisa Houle). As he is being questioned, footage is shown of a black ops team searching for something in a wooded area. Thirdly, the film takes viewers back a few days and introduces Joe Sullivan (Adam Sebold), a filmmaker who has been desperately trying to land an interview with Cassidy, who is a famously reclusive purported alien abductee. Sullivan learns from Cassidy that he has been the subject of torturous alien experimentation, leaving him psychologically scarred, and he also warns of an impending solar flare that will disrupt all electronics on Earth. Back to real time, Tobin continues to grill Cassidy, eventually hooking him up to an alien mind device that is able to pull memories from a person’s head, though it also has the unfortunate side effect of destroying the person’s consciousness. Cassidy, however, survives unscathed. During this questioning, Tobin continues to watch the footage shot by Sullivan, revealing the two men saw an alien craft crash land and their subsequent encounter with the surviving pilot. Tobin’s quest for knowledge leads her down unexpected paths, as Cassidy begins to show the true nature of his lengthy relationship with extraterrestrial life. If there’s one aspect of “Ejecta” that deserves praise, it is the casting of Julian Richings in the lead. Although the actor has a number of notable credits to his name, this is the first production where he is the leading man. Given his awkward appearance and sheepish demeanor, his roles are usually that of unusual, secondary characters. This role seems tailor-made for the actor; his character of Cassidy is a man who, on the outside, appears frail and paranoid due to the abuse he’s taken over the years from cosmic visitors. Richings imbues the role with equal parts uncertainty and strangely confident – he doesn’t quite know how he fits into the alien’s plans, yet his encounters with them make him feel almost special, like he’s a special pilgrim chosen for an unknown mission. Where “Ejecta” loses itself is in everything else. The character of Joe Sullivan clearly exists to fill viewers in on Cassidy’s history; he is exposition incarnate, nothing more. Worse, he’s a bit annoying and his actions are typical of found footage cameramen in that when major shit starts to hit the fan he just keeps on filming like a pro. Nine out of ten people would drop their camera in a flash if they experienced these situations. Those common complaints aside, his story adds nothing of value to the proceedings, unless you really want all of that exposition, of course. All of the bits with the black ops soldiers are equally lacking. The focus should have been squarely on Cassidy sparring with Dr. Tobin… except the actress playing Tobin is hilariously over-the-top and delivers her lines like someone sitting down for a first-run table read. It’s hard to find a film’s antagonist threatening when they come across as laughably bad. There are glimmers of a better film hidden within “Ejecta”, but the non-linear approach to telling the story only detracts from what’s really of interest. The plot is woven in such a way that tension and story take a back seat to stringing viewers along on a ride that feels like it isn’t sure where to go. Richings gives a stellar performance – one that is objectively solid, and not just because he’s acting against weaker elements – but the lack of a clear narrative hampers what could have been a better film.
Video
“Ejecta” features a 2.00:1 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded picture that was shot digitally, with results that are typical of that decision. There are moments of impressive clarity scattered throughout, although the use of varying video elements – including night vision and Joe Sullivan’s handheld footage – means there is a lack of consistency in terms of video quality. The only truly annoying video moments come when Sullivan’s handheld camera experiences digital glitches when it comes close to aliens. Nothing says “we had no budget” like using cheap tricks to obscure potential effects work.
Audio
The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track (48kHz/24-bit) sounds full and weighty, with some great moments of immersion thanks to a wealth of rear speaker effects. Bass response is solid, with the low end booming at appropriate times. When Cassidy and Sullivan are slowly creeping through a cabin later in the film, searching out an invader, the sound design is positively enveloping. Credit also goes to composer Steph Copeland, who delivers a cool electronic score with a great main theme. There is also an English DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo track. Subtitles are available in English.
Extras
Theatrical trailer (1080p) runs for 1 minute and 54 seconds. A second disc is included that features a DVD copy of the film.
Packaging
The single disc comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keep case.
Overall
Too unfocused to be meaningful, “Ejecta” isn’t entirely without merit thanks to Richings strong lead performance. Unfortunately most everything else around him isn’t compelling enough to make for a good film.
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