Descendent is an alien abduction movie that deals more in earthly horrors. Sean (Ross Marquand) and Andrea (Sarah Bolger) are expecting a baby. They are nervous about their future, but Sean feels that his private security company is just a few jobs away from setting his family up for life. One night while answering an alarm, he sees a light in the sky. He begins having visions that consume his life.
Tone is incredibly important in these types of films. It is especially important to get across mystery, tension, and paranoia. Marquand gives a fantastic performance that carries Descendent. Even before the abduction, he does not trust his mother-in-law. And while he definitely loves and completely believes in Andrea, there is the sense that he knows what is best for them.
This becomes important later in Descendent when Sean gives in completely to his fears. He begins to neglect Andrea and make decisions that he would have never done before. Aside from some impressive imagery, the plot moves almost entirely away from its sci-fi premise and becomes a character study.
It also loses all sense of mystery. While there is some tension surrounding what Sean is going to do next, it often feels forced. The main issue is that none of the supporting characters are given any depth. They exist simply to move the plot forward and leave no impression on the audience. This includes a sub-plot involving a handgun that ultimately goes nowhere.
Descendent ends up being one big metaphor and how impressed a person is by that will determine how much they enjoy the movie. There are some good visuals and the performances from the main couple are top notch. While some will enjoy the script’s attempts at dealing with the unknown, others will find it too ambiguous.
Descendent will release in limited theaters August 8.
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