Worth: $5.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
David Cook, Vito Leo, Zarlia Chisholm
Intro:
…a misguided attempt at science-fiction parody.
Strangeville re-appropriates the science-fiction genre to outback Australia, as strange supernatural forces infiltrate a quiet suburban town called ‘Stephenville’.
The impetus of the plot occurs on a misty night when a shiny UFO descends through the sky to a lonesome farmhouse, kidnapping 11-year-old Maisey, while her parents are zapped to their demise.
After three years, Maisey (Zarlia Chisholm) returns, having lost all of her memory. She joins a rag-tag group comprising of Bruce (David Cook), a hostile taxi driver hardened by the world around him, Miles (Vito Leo), a conspiracy theorist and alien abduction victim himself, and eventually Wendy (Brittany Bell), a waitress who fantasises of escaping her humdrum life, all of which become entangled in the mystery. They vow to unravel who or what is behind the mysterious happenings plaguing ‘Stephenville’.
The film is so self-aware of what it is trying to do, it would almost be labelled a parody if it were not so poorly made itself. Many basic filmmaking elements are shoddily unaddressed, making for a difficult and distracting viewing experience. For example, the quality of sound varies in volume from person to person, while the lighting is invariably over-exposed for exterior scenes, while interior scenes change in visibility despite being in the same location.
Not only this, there are moments of blatant continuity errors such as when Bruce engages in a fist-fight, but blood has already filled in his mouth before he is even punched. Not only this, the ensemble of characters feel lifted out of a comic book, with very limited and simplistic traits that serve to contrast with each other, but they rarely feel like real people. In particular, as Bruce is driving both Wendy and Miles, he says “Stephenville, more like…”, and just before he says the title of the movie, Bruce and Wendy give him intense stares warning him not to.
A potentially redeeming aspect to this film would be if it capitalised on Australian iconography, vernacular, or landscapes. However, many settings and characters appear westernised (an ice cream shop decorated with poppy primary colours, police officers with guns, and the politically corrupt ‘Mayor’), which really diminishes its niche appeal.
Strangeville is a misguided attempt at science-fiction parody, with a comedic approach that falls flat with its cheaply made production.
