The Phoenix Incident (2016)

Running Time: 1hr 22min

Release Date: April 8, 2016

Review by: Stacey

Sometimes I'm a glutton for punishment- especially when it's a movie about aliens or if it's shot found footage/mockumentary-style.  The Phoenix Incident combined the two and we all have our guilty pleasures so I gave it a watch and I'm almost 90% sure the film gave me zero real feelings.  Is that even possible?

 

Based on one of the biggest UFO sightings in the world, The Phoenix Lights, which took place in '97, The Phoenix Incident uses that event has the background to their fictional story of 4 friends who went missing that same night in the desert.

Do I even need to give you any more for plot?  If you think you know where this is going, you're absolutely right.  We've seen this movie many hands over, in fact.  Be it ghosts, aliens, or monsters- these types of found footage flicks follow the same basic formula.  Why people keep making them is beyond me, to be honest.  Shit, it's probably because I'm going to watch them anyway, right?  UGH.

The director, Keith Arem, seems to have his resume deep rooted in the gaming world which becomes clear in many parts of the film, especially in the shots that you (barely) see the aliens.  I need to know where the majority of the supposed $1.3 million budget went, because it couldn't have been on the creature effects as they were mostly hiding in the dark or quickly zooming past the camera.  And there was definitely numerous scenes of footage used from the actual night that the lights showed up so it's not like they had to pay for that.

To be fair, the majority of the cast was decent considering other than the 4 main guys, the rest just had to act through interviews or news reports.  Which brings up the question of why do filmmakers insist on using the tired ass "NO, THIS IS TOTALLY REAL. HERE ARE REAL WEBSITES ABOUT THIS REAL STUFF."??  I come from the Blair Witch era, which was basically the only time someone got away with making us all believe that shit was real.  It's like the virgin Mary from that bible story- no one can ever play the immaculate conception card ever again (THANKS, CHICK).

For real, I'm trying to even remember anything else about the movie and I only watched it a couple of hours ago.  It had no legit impact on me by the end credits; I wasn't even mad I watched it.  I just kind of, turned off the tv, and went to do something else.  I think that's worse than hating it and that makes me sad because I just love aliens so much and want to love every alien movie.  Unfortunately, The Phoenix Incident didn't do much other than serve as a mindless time waster for my gloomy, Monday afternoon.

1/5

Available now on VOD
Check out the trailer below: