I am a fan of sci-fi tales involving aliens coming to Earth for varied causes, notably as a result of the creativity a long time of alien invasion motion pictures have afforded newer creatives. All the pieces from the continued Alien: Earth TV present to motion pictures like 2016’s Arrival – one among my favorites – provide diverse alien tales with recent themes and concepts that really feel distinct in presentation.
Sadly, 2025’s Run does not fall into any of those classes. The film gives a promising, if generic, opening: a lady is waving for assist from fighter jets above her whereas a automotive burns within the background, a crashed flying saucer not too far-off. The movie continues to tease a cryptic alien invasion movie, because the invaders’ first sufferer is dispatched in a brutal, darkish approach.
Nevertheless, these typical-yet-fun opening scenes are, sadly, the perfect within the film. What follows is a skinny storyline about Melissa (Annie Ngosi Ilonzeh), a younger girl who will get chilly toes the day of her marriage ceremony. After cancelling it last-minute, she joins her associates on a getaway in a cabin, the place they keep as a generic alien invasion occurs all over the world. It is there they keep as bloodthirsty, super-strong extraterrestrials stalk about outdoors, ready for somebody to expire.
Run Feels Caught In The Shadow Of A A lot Higher Horror Film
There’s nothing about Run that actually makes it stand out from different alien invasion motion pictures in a optimistic approach. Whereas it gives a hook that guarantees a by-the-numbers story, this sci-fi movie falls brief in delivering something partaking for its core heroes. A lot of the movie takes place on the cabin, with everybody concerned coming to phrases with or plotting an escape from the extraterrestrials outdoors.
However, past just a few scenes of terror and light-weight gore, nearly all of the movie does not make good use of its time. Clocking in at simply 95 minutes, I discovered myself checking the time continually due to how repetitive the film’s storyline grew to become. Again-and-forth conversations between characters usually went in circles, by no means providing depth to the state of affairs or their personalities. Penning this overview, I battle to recollect greater than two names.
This majority deal with a meandering plot is made all of the extra dour by what the film does effectively. Everybody onscreen is doing their finest with the fabric they’re given. Every actor in Melissa’s circle gives an genuine efficiency that considerably elevates the dry screenplay. Their reactions and interactions really feel real looking, even when given dialogue and course that feels round. Ilonzeh’s Melissa and Marques Houston’s Andre are the standouts, however everyone seems to be giving it their all.
The identical goes for the world the story takes place in. Whereas the characters are oftentimes caught of their cabin, information broadcasts reveal the affect the aliens are having on the surface world. This consists of cities which might be dealing with the brunt of the invasion, alongside methods individuals are utilizing to battle again. It is slightly goofy and tacky at occasions, however these moments have by far the strongest writing and worldbuilding. Plus, it is enjoyable to look at in distinction to the round conversations the heroes rise up to.
However therein lies the most important challenge with Run: it feels prefer it’s residing within the shadow of what might be a greater film. The world past the principle characters is extra engaging than their plights, with the movie feeling like a aspect story in what ought to be a a lot greater, bolder narrative. And, sadly, not even the sequences involving the harmful aliens can save the story.
Run Tries & Fails To Supply Scary Alien Antagonists
Though Run is meant to be an alien invasion horror film, the movie does a poor job at showcasing the aliens as ever-present threats. There are many intense moments the place the slasher-like creatures are a real menace to the group. Whereas the inspiration feels very Predator-esque, it nonetheless supplied some intense sequences as characters have been getting chased.
Nevertheless, the aliens’ habits isn’t constant inside the narrative; their power is commonly halted by essentially the most minor of obstacles, regardless of managing bodily feats the likes of which few people might attain. It does not assist their designs are non-threatening, feeling like one thing pulled out of Resident Alien with just a few concepts from A Quiet Place slapped on for good measure.
Given the sheer period of time characters spend speaking in circles, there’s by no means any deep rationalization into why these aliens, who’ve expertise superior sufficient to invade Earth, act like semi-intelligent wild animals. It is the bow on prime of Run‘s crudely-constructed present wrapping, which gives little or no regardless of the flickering lights of potential that shine now and again.
Despite the fact that it has very real looking performances with a forged that does their finest, Run‘s writing and round storytelling dampen what might have in any other case been a generic, however nonetheless enjoyable, alien invasion film. The movie is hampered by having an uninteresting strategy to its story, and a course that merely does not work given its energetic title.
Run arrives in theaters on August 29, 2025.
Run
3/10
- Launch Date
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August 29, 2025
- Director
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Chris Stokes
- Writers
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Chris Stokes
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Annie Ngosi Ilonzeh
Meliss
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Marques Houston
Andre Pierce
- Run has stellar performing, with everybody doing their finest with the fabric they’re given.
- Paper-thin story feels antithetical to the film’s title.
- Bland alien designs expanded with boring, by-the-numbers film monster presentation.
- Round storytelling makes me want the lore-bolstering components have been the precise focus.