Fire in The Sky is not a terribly long movie, but boy is it slow. As we go through the movie, we start to get the impression that it is going to be one of those cases of a build-up to a kick- ass climax. Surprisingly, the build up is effective, and despite some poorly written dialog, it may well perk your interest. The pay-off for having to endure an hour of rising inquiry is not too bad, but the ending is extremely lousy. The film is best looked at as a sci-fi drama, rather than a thriller, which would justify the decision to throw in ten times more talk than necessary and an inept sense of terror until the last minute.
The year is 1975, the place is Snowflake Arizona. Six friends are driving home at night after a day of logging. They spot a red light emerging from a patch of trees on the side of the road. When they go to check it out, one of them (Travis Walton) gets too close, and is killed. In a panic the others flee. The next day when the body cannot be found they, are suspected of murder. Five days later Travis returns, and something is very wrong with him.
I can't help but compare this film to Communion, also based on a true story of an apparent abduction by little men. Fire in the Sky is far more entertaining, not just because the production clearly has more money for better effects but because the cast is awake enough to deliver performances that probably wont put you to sleep. These aliens looks like aliens, rather than rubber on strings or dwarfs in costume. Until this night I have never seen an artist's rendering of the little bulbous heads (refered to sometimes as Greys) which is as monstrous looking as the ones here. They are wrinkled, and warty, and have sickly facial gestures. The smooth grey, big eyed, figures are actually space suit for these aliens, (which I have to say is probably the most clever moment in the film.)
Next to Close Encounters and E.T., Fire in the Sky doesn't stand a chance. If you are however one of those few people who find Spielberg's aliens too sentimental, Fire in the Sky may be an interesting watch to see the darker side of our neighbours from another world.
The year is 1975, the place is Snowflake Arizona. Six friends are driving home at night after a day of logging. They spot a red light emerging from a patch of trees on the side of the road. When they go to check it out, one of them (Travis Walton) gets too close, and is killed. In a panic the others flee. The next day when the body cannot be found they, are suspected of murder. Five days later Travis returns, and something is very wrong with him.
I can't help but compare this film to Communion, also based on a true story of an apparent abduction by little men. Fire in the Sky is far more entertaining, not just because the production clearly has more money for better effects but because the cast is awake enough to deliver performances that probably wont put you to sleep. These aliens looks like aliens, rather than rubber on strings or dwarfs in costume. Until this night I have never seen an artist's rendering of the little bulbous heads (refered to sometimes as Greys) which is as monstrous looking as the ones here. They are wrinkled, and warty, and have sickly facial gestures. The smooth grey, big eyed, figures are actually space suit for these aliens, (which I have to say is probably the most clever moment in the film.)
Next to Close Encounters and E.T., Fire in the Sky doesn't stand a chance. If you are however one of those few people who find Spielberg's aliens too sentimental, Fire in the Sky may be an interesting watch to see the darker side of our neighbours from another world.