Occupation

 



Director - Luke Sparke (Red Billabong, Yesterday is History)
Starring - Dan Ewing (Power Rangers R.P.M., Superman Returns), Temuera Morrison (Green Lanter, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones), and Stephany Jacobsen (The Devil's Tomb, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)
Release Date - 2018
Genre - Sci-Fi/Action
Tagline - "The conquest begins"
Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     I get a lot in to review.  In fact, I probably get more in to review than I actually have time available.  I'm not complaining.  I love writing and watching movies so it only makes sense that I write reviews.  Lately I've received several films that I had never heard of before had.  These films always peak my curiosity and I typically move them up the review stack just so I can check them out.  Not long ago I received a press release for the sci-fi action flick Occupation.  It looks fun so I requested a review copy.  Thank you Lionsgate for sending this one my way.  I really enjoyed it. 

     The film follows a group of people in an Australian town when an army of aliens descend up on their countryside.  The aliens start killing and capturing people forcing a small group of survivors to go into the wilderness to hide.  They hide at first but soon realize that the aliens are not leaving anytime soon.  They want to free their captured friends and family so they start attacking their small out posts and other smaller convoys until they get the attention of the Australian military who joins forces with them to bring save mankind and Earth from the alien invasion.

     I went into this one know very little about it but I do have to admit that I really enjoyed myself.  The film does have several areas that it could be improved but for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed myself and look forward to the sequel that I hear is already in the works.  The acting in this one is solid.  The entire cast does a great job but there is several scenes where the cast hams it up.  In fact, they over do it some much that I almost thought this was a parody of Independence Day.  With that aside, we do get some outstanding performances when they are not over doing it.  It was also cool seeing Jango Fett fighting aliens.  The story for this one is War of the Worlds meets Red Dawn with a few instances of Independence Day tossed in.  I actually enjoyed the story but there was several scenes where it struggled to keep the serious tone going.  These scenes are just too serious resulting in a parody like atmosphere that ruins the tension the film is trying to build.  Finally, if you want blood and gore you wont find any here.  However, you will find some great visual and practical effects centered around the aliens.  I loved their armor, look, and the use of visuals for their spacecrafts.  Overall, Occupation is one of the better films that you will find buried deep in the discount bin.  It is and will be underappreciated but deserves so much more.  Check it out.