Spectral (2016)

 

 

Another Netflix original film that I could have watched as a nice three part mini-series. I like it when a team of people fight against a powerful and deadly whatever. I like knowing that not everyone character that is introduced to me will live to see another day. I like smart science fiction with a weird twist and Spectral gave me all that and more. The trailer gives you a pretty good idea about what is going on here.



The story is plausible. The guy who create special visual goggles for the military has to be brought in when the soldiers start seeing 'things' through their helmet cams. All this is taking place in a war zone on the brink of civil war. This is one mission that has to all be improvised along the way and I found that fun. What do you fight with when bullets are useless?  More than anything, it was the answer to that question that I needed to make sense. From there I can believe the whole story and that is what makes one of these kinds of movies so enjoyable.

 

 

It was also nice to see a new movie that I didn't have to go to the theatre to see and I appreciate that Netflix didn't turn it into a ten issue mini-series where all the action and drama was ruined with filler. It's like the great crappy old movies SYFY did but with better everything from acting to writing to special effects.

 

Speaking of effects, the Spectrals are pretty scary, like smoke skeletons. The way they can flash freeze anyone and drop them dead is terrifying to see. The ingenuity of the soldiers and our scientist to find a way to fight them is also really enjoyable to watch if not entirely realistic. HOPE is something that drives the final half hour of the film and that was another smart storytelling choice especially after feeling so helpless as a movie watcher for most all of the film up to that point.

 

Yes, none of it stands up to scientific scrutiny but it's not suppose to. Just go alone with it and you will have a good time. Forget that these weapons are untested and forget that none has any idea that they will solve the problem. Just believe in a glitch free plan of attack and a last minute save.

 

Makes me proud to be an American soldier even though I am not one. Hated to see all those fine boys bite the dust. We will be lucky if ONE person survives this carnage.

 

I could watch one of these a month if Netflix wants to produce them. I am a sucker for this kind of adventure movie.