Director and co-writer Shane Abbess' sophomore effort is an improvement over his debut GABRIEL. The budget is bigger, the set a bit more varied but a title scroll is still needed to explain the world we are about to enter.
It's the 23rd century and people can be broken down to 0's and 1's and sent across the galaxy via a process called slipstreaming. Whit Carmichael (Daniel MacPherson) has joined a mining security force so that he and his pregnant wife can better provide for their unborn child. Things go horribly wrong at the security depot when another squad returns from a slipstream and starts shooting the place up. Whit is able to slipstream to a mining outpost at the very edge of explored space right before the depot's detox and eradicate all living things defense kicks in. Judging by the portrayal of mega corporations in films (see RESIDENT EVIL) there must be an insurance break by setting up a kill everything protocol.
In response to the security depot mishap and lost communication with the mining outpost, an elite security team is sent to the mining outpost. The facility is powered down, dead bodies litter the corridors, oh, and an organism spread by touch and contact with blood that drives people mad is on the loose. Carmichael and the squad team up to survive.
The archaic computer graphics displayed on work consoles reminded me of ALIEN, or at least watching ALIEN today. A curious choice for a film set in the 23rd century. The people slowly going crazy until they lust for blood to be spilled was reminiscent of THE CRAZIES. Near the end of the film there's a shot and an explanation that had me thinking of SOLARIS. In other words I spent a lot of time thinking about other films while watching this one.
The film is nicely shot, the acting and directing are fine but I was not absorbed by the events or yet another film about people running around a space station.
** out of ****
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