Spectral (2016)

Spectral: Spectral is about American special forces fighting the remnants of government troops during a civil war in Moldova. During the battle, the special forces are attacked by what appears to be ghosts and call on a DARPA scientist (James Badge Dale) to come investigate and help the US Army counteract this new threat. The Good: Spectral pulls off a neat trick. It is a movie about science and technology and the hard-working scientists behind it. Despite all the hoo-rah action scenes, it is the thinking men that will get them out of this mess. The movie sets this tone well and keeps it throughout the film. The fact that it manages to do this without talking down to the audience too much is an amazing feat. The solid acting across the board and a solid science fiction foundation are matched with a good pace and good action scenes. The film does manage some very nice set pieces with good practical effects mixed with the CGI. The Bad: If one goes a looking there might be a plot hole or two. (You need a hundred laser cannons using brand new tech? I am going to need half an hour and some duct tape). In addition if while the film certainly uses science throughout I wouldn't exactly quote some of those theories on Friday's physics exam. Actual citizens of Moldova can also feel free to criticize the wrong city, wrong language and ridiculous description of your government. In Conclusion: Though marketed as a Netflix original; Netflix actually picked Spectral up on the cheap from Universal/Legendary who was unhappy with all the science stuff and possible realized too late that Emily Mortimer is not going to open a summer blockbuster. That said one can certainly see the not inconsiderable budget on the screen. How Universal shelved this film and opened The Mummy is a mystery for another day. Solid Sci-fi actioner with an elevator script sounding like a cross between Black Hawk Down and Aliens. A fun film that is better than one might suspect.

Like many action films where the enemy is of unknown origin. The plot and intent of the enemy was not richly explored in the shooter action.I noticed that when ever the male science expert speaks fast, he throws in lots of assumptions and comes to a conclusion no one challenges. But the assumptions are so obvious.Another thing of not was the fact that next gen spectral killing weapons in a bunker of only conventional weapons. Even new suits and other gears. That is simply impossible in science, scale and timing. So many buts... leaves a sour taste of lack of true quality.

I liked this movie as it is well made has cool effects and a decent story line. I would only point out, being and knowing a lot of engineers, that lots of the "workarounds" and quick solutions and gadget reworkings shown in the movie are, to me, too far from reality to consider even in a science fiction context. Sometimes it reminds me of a movie where a printed circuit board that was to control the fire sequence of a magnetic cannon pas split broken in 2 pieces (like a PC motherboard cracked in 2) and the person in the movie held it together by hand and then the cannon could be fired thus saving the crew of the (space) ship involved. And the theories and science support for the revelations of the movie are really hard to accept. But anyway most movies have similar "solutions"; I really liked the movie.

Not sure how to go about this review without contradicting myself. It's both a very good movie and a mediocre movie. It's a mystery sci-fi thriller. Set in a war where soldiers are being killed by ghost-like specters. The special effects in this film are superb, really really excellent. The specters are brilliantly portrayed with some outstanding scenes of them running through air. The plot is basically the army bringing in a scientist designer of high tech gear to help them identify what the specters are. Although the plot is pretty good the movie lacks a certain depth. I think maybe a stronger cast may have helped deliver some of what was lacking. Even as the film reveals what the specters are it doesn't really disappoint, the story-line is one that hasn't really been overdone in the past. The movie is full of action, a lot of death which is a little overwhelming at times and the specters are relentless. The locations that the film was shot at are very impressive. It is just a shame that it feels something is missing just to make it that level of excellent that we look for in this kind of movie.