Spectral (2016)

 

            “Spectral” is a military sci-fi film.  It was originally made for Universal, but they decided not to release it and Netflix scarfed it up.  Good call for Netflix viewers.  It was directed by Nic Mathieu.  He left commercials to make his feature debut.  It was filmed in Budapest.

            United Nations peacekeepers are having enough trouble with insurgents in Modava without supernatural specters being thrown into the mix.  When some unexplainable killings of competent American soldiers occurs, Dr. Mark Clyne (James Badge Dale – Robert Leckie in “The Pacific”) is called in because he specializes in hyperspectral imaging goggles.  Those same goggles have been picking up apparitions in the war-torn city of Chisinau, Moldava.  Clyne works for DARPA which stands for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.  (As much as this sounds like a sci-fi creation, it actually is a current agency that researches new weapons and technology.  It helped develop the Internet.)  In a well-worn sci-fi cliché, Clyne is sent to the war zone to bring brains to brawn.  Clyne is partnered with a CIA agent named Fran Madison (Emily Morimer).  She thinks the insurgents have developed fancy new camouflage, but that hardly explains the fact that the killers can’t be killed.  Gen. Orland (Bruce Greenwood) sends the duo with a Delta Force team into the city to rescue a missing Ranger team.  Things do not go well.  But it is confirmed that the enemy are not insurgents.  They are more like very angry ghosts.  Like if Casper was on PCP.  And there are a shit-ton of them.  It looks like the world is over, but thank God we have a plucky scientist on our side.  The movie manages to throw in the besieged fortress and the factory with the power source.

            The script was described to Universal as a sci-fi “Black Hawk Down”.  It’s not in a league with that movie, but it is entertaining in a Netflix streaming sort of way.  It manages to blend the action of a shoot ‘em up war film paired with the supernatural.  It does have cliches, but manages to avoid the obvious one of the mad scientist or corrupt government official provoking the crisis.  Surprisingly, the film starts with a military industrial villainous complex vibe, but does not develop it.  It does not avoid the trope of the foes are seemingly invulnerable until a scientist discovers their weakness.  And the trope of having to get to the inner sanctum to flip a switch with the clock ticking.  But I don’t think the target audience expects originality over competence. 

            This movie is competently made by its commercial’s director.  He was given a good cast and they buy in to the lunacy.  The Budapest locations class up what could have been a Syfy made-for-TV movie.  Naturally, there is a lot of CGI, unless Budapest looks like 1942 Stalingrad.  The special effects are top notch when it comes to the specters.  They set this above a “Seal Team Six” episode, which is what much of the action looks like.  We get the POV of a video game.  It is set in the near future, but we still get some cool futuristic weapons.  Apparently, DARPA holds back unless the world is in peril. 

            “Spectral” was a pleasant surprise.  I had it in my Netflix queue for a long time.  I tend to watch their regular war movies over their science fiction war movies.  And don’t get me wrong, “Spectral” is a war movie.  As much as “Aliens” was.  So, war movie fans, watch it with no guilt feelings. 

GRADE  =  B+