I don't usually review indie movies but I really hope there will be a sequel to this movie. Very well scripted and the topic is something I'm definitely interested in. Well done!
Illuminate
2020
Sci-Fi

Illuminate
2020
Sci-Fi
Synopsis
A luminous force within Mount Shasta may hold clues behind the disappearance of Emma Rose's brother and grandfather. Emma discovers her unique ability to astral travel back through time which may unlock the mystery to their disappearance.
Uploaded By: FREEMAN
March 19, 2021 at 07:51 PM
Director
Cast
Tech specs
720p.WEBMovie Reviews
Thought provoking and well done
Don't. Just. Don't
I demand my time back! This zero-budget movie is done by one family, it seems, with a few other people involved. This "movie" is 58 min long, yet felt like 3 hours. Character play is horrible by all, except the grandmother. Everything going on the screen is also explained in monotonic, robotic voice of the main character. 3-4 times, over and over. There's no good idea behind this film. no idea at all, really.
Not for the average viewer.
*Extremely mild spoilers*
The sole reason I'd recommend this movie is the genre, and the genre alone. I didn't think the plot was well written. The first 2/5 or so were building up just fine, but after that it only got even slower and more confusing and pointless. The astral projection felt so random, like what the hell is the goal here? What purpose does this incredible power serve in this movie? I didnt get it. It's like it's done simply to be done. The power is never used to accomplish anything, until suddenly it does in some completely random and unexplained way that doesnt make sense unless you use your imagination. It didnt even seem realistic to me. A camera is used as part of the setup to produce the phenomenon. However, there is no camera recording the actual events that unfold. She does a whole episode on astral projection, just to seemingly accomplish nothing and prove it to no one. This is practically the climax of the movie, despite stating that she had these powers at the very beginning of the movie. The acting on screen is significantly worse than the narration, the latter of which was probably the strongest aspect of the movie. Most of the CGI is fine, but there was one scene with an inexcusably bad green screen! The character's clothes become semi-transparent, and the top of her silhouette is cropped out flat against the background!! That's just low quality; how did they miss that? Then there's the 911 call, which loses all visuals to make the audio really stand out. Yet it sounds painfully unrealistic, and obviously faked.
Idk where else to put this, but they did a solid job creating spook factor in the first 2/5. It fizzles out from there.
I would never recommend it to someone unless they were seriously into astral projection and aliens, and liked horror films.