Proximity (2020)

🎬 Overview

Title: Proximity
Director / Writer: Visual‑effects veteran Eric Demeusy (his feature debut), co‑written with Jason Mitcheltree
Main Cast: Ryan Masson (Isaac), Highdee Kuan (Sara), Christian Prentice (Zed), Shaw Jones (Agent Graves), Don Scribner (Carl)
Runtime & Release: 119 min; premiered on VOD May 15, 2020 via Shout! Studios, later DVD July 2020
Rating: Metacritic score 38/100 (unfavorable); Rotten Tomatoes 38% critics

📖 Plot Summary

Humble Beginnings
NASA-JPL engineer Isaac starts filming a video diary after struggling with trauma from his parents’ death. During a hike following a meteor sighting, he’s abducted by a classic grey alien and reappears three days later—with cryptic injuries and no memory. His camcorder captures the event, and he goes viral—but the world doubts him.
Seeking Answers
Isaac connects online with Sara, who shares a similar alien encounter. Together with hacker Zed, they dig into signals, symbols, and the strange implant in their arms. But government agents, including Graves, capture them, launching a globe-skipping chase that ends in a hidden underground facility.
Spiritual Finale
In the climax, aliens reveal their motive: they were searching for spiritual markers in humanity—tying back to religious themes (notably Christian)—leading to a mystical, polarizing ending .

🎨 Style & Technical Achievements

Visual Effects & Aesthetic: Showcases Demeusy’s VFX prowess—retro camcorder abduction, android agents, atmospheric set pieces—with praise even from critics.
Cinematography & Score: The film adopts soft lighting and 80s sci‑fi visuals, enhanced by Jermaine Stegall’s emotionally resonant, Williams-like score.

🎭 Acting & Narrative Balance

Performances:
- Ryan Masson channels earnest vulnerability as Isaac;
- Highdee Kuan and Christian Prentice provide depth and humor.
Narrative Pros:
- The opening acts build compelling tension around belief vs proof.
- Believable scientific intrigue, viral media dynamics, and classic Spielbergian wonder.
Narrative Cons:
- The film is tonally split—first a sci‑fi mystery, then an action‑packed chase—leading to pacing inconsistencies and underdeveloped threads.
- The spiritual twist is divisive—some see it as innovative, others as jarring or forced.

📊 Critical & Audience Reception

Critics:
- Metacritic flagged it as “generally unfavorable” (38/100) .
- The Hollywood Reporter: beautiful but pastiche-heavy.
- The Film Stage: technically strong but shallow script.
Selected Reviews:
- Loud and Clear: “a lot of good ideas, but the film struggles”.
- In Their Own League: “saved by its performances and phenomenal score”.
User Opinions:
- Rotten Tomatoes users criticize cheap dialogue and religious turn.
- Amazon reviews range from “engaging Christian sci‑fi B‑movie” to “propaganda film with odd soundtrack”.

✅ Verdict

Proximity is a visually and aurally impressive indie sci‑fi, rooted in earnest performances and retro aesthetics. Its ambition is clear—but that ambition buckles under tonal shifts, pacing issues, and a spiritually charged twist.

Recommended if you enjoy: