Alone

Director - Johnny Martin (Skeleton Man, Hangman)

Starring - Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf, Truth or Dare), Summer Spiro (Westworld, Swell), and Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games, National Lampoon's Animal House)

Release Date - 2020

Genre - Horror

Tagline - "First the pandemic.  Then the chaos"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     Earlier in the month I ventured to Netflix and watched a few movies.  I decided to start with a film released earlier in the year but has recently started gaining attention as Halloween approached.  That was #Alive which was from South Korea and was one of my favorite films of the month.  It is definately in my top 5 films of my October horror binge.  A few days ago I was sent the horror film Alone starring Tyler Posey, Summer Spiro, and Donald Sutherland.  After I tossed it in I quickly realized that this was an American remake of #Alive which really intrigued me then.  

     The film follows a man who awakens in the middle of a city wide pandemic where those infected have turned violent.  They start attacking those uninfected and if they don't die they become infected themselves.  He becomes isolated in his apartment and after a few days he finds himself slipping mentally until he notices a woman in the adjoining building is still alive and uninfected.  The two start communicating the best they can and soon a relationship blooms giving him something to live...or die for.

     I had no idea what Alone was when I got it in for review.  Seeing that it did star Tyler Posey and Donald Sutherland was an interesting combination that really caught my eye.  I was curious more than anything when I tossed it in but as soon as the #Alive comparisons started I found myself enthralled with it.  Was it as good as it's South Korean inspiration?  Hell no is the simple answer.  However, it was entertaining to an extent.  The acting in this one is solid.  I'm a fan of the Teen Wolf series so I was aware of who Posey was prior to this.  His character is a little too angsty for me but it works for the film.  I would have loved to see him take on a more action oriented character in the film but it works with keeping with the story they went with.  Sutherland is not in the film as much as I would have liked but he still delivered a great performance.  I was very impressed with Summer Spiro.  This is a new name for me but I really loved her performance.  Weak when compared to her South Korean counterpart but she still did a great job.  The story for this one is a strong American adaptation of the original with more focus spent on how a character will break down when forced to isolate.  This does make the film feel more grounded but it just doesn't hit as hard as the original.  The difference in personalities of the original is the biggest difference between the two.  Have characters afraid of their own shadows made this one not as fun.  Finally, this one has plenty of blood and some solid practical effects.  The film is not a gory one but it doesn't shy away from the blood.  The practical effects all look great and the fact that they had someone on hand that could turn out something this impress and didn't go with gore is a huge let down.  Overall, Alone is not going to be for everyone.  However, if you are looking for a big budget zombie flick this one has some very entertaining moments.  Will I recommend it over #Alive?  Hel no, but if you have already seen it and want something different then I suggest giving this one a go.