By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
Maybe I set my expectations too high for the sci-fi drama
"Watch the Skies" from director
Victor Danell ("The Unthinkable"). I was hoping to see some oddly shaped, memorable aliens but instead, the film doesn't have any and pairs that let down with a slow-moving storyline that left me underwhelmed.
"Watch the Skies" is set in 1990s Sweden and follows a headstrong and fiercely independent teen named Denise (Inez Dahl Torhaug), who is living in foster care.
Haunted by the mysterious disappearance of her father--a former investigator with the fringe organization UFO Sweden--Denise refuses to believe the official story that he is dead or missing.
Instead, she is convinced he was abducted by aliens, and she is willing to challenge anyone, even the authorities, to uncover the truth. Her relentless pursuit drives the film, blending teenage angst with wonder and quiet desperation.
Her suspicions go into overdrive when, out of nowhere, her father's long-missing car crashes into a barn, on its own. The shocking incident reignites her determination, prompting her to track down her dad's former colleagues and convince them to reopen the case.
As Denise digs deeper, and connects with UFO Sweden, and mentor Lennart Svahn (Jesper Barkselius, "The Unthinkable”) they gradually become allies in her quest for answers. Together, they uncover a series of clues that suggest something far more complex, and possibly more dangerous, than a simple alien abduction.
The film balances this mystery with themes of trust, identity, and the yearning for connection, especially as Denise begins to confront the emotional weight of her father's absence.
Visually, "Watch the Skies" leans into its 1990s setting with grainy, VHS-style footage and analog tech that evoke a time when conspiracy theories thrived in the shadows, long before the internet made everything instantly accessible.
Director Victor Danell uses this aesthetic to create a grounded and often moody atmosphere that feels both nostalgic and eerie. However, the film's measured pace and lack of dramatic peaks may test the patience of viewers expecting more traditional sci-fi thrills.
While it doesn't deliver on the spectacle--or actual aliens--that some genre fans might crave, "Watch the Skies" offers a more introspective take on alien mythology, one rooted in personal loss, resilience, and the human desire to believe in something beyond us. It's a film that asks you to listen, even if, by the end, it leaves more questions than answers.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Go Ahead And Look At This Trailer For
"WATCH THE SKIES"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
