Terminus (2015) Reviews

• Seriously its better than i thought.

  ahao762016-02-08

  I specially write this review hope it will help in some ways in promoting this film. I almost did not want to waste time to watch this movie due to some negative comments of few critics who says its boring etc... Well.. Luckily i did not believe them totally.. I just try out to watch it without expecting much. When i finished this movie.. I find it meaningful and i enjoyed it.. I don't see there is any problem with this movie and certainly its not boring to me.. I hope there are people out there who are willing to give a shot watching this movie and enjoyed it like i did. Thanks to all the people involve making this film. Good job.

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• Atmospheric and gloomy, but a nice original piece of sci-fi

  siderite2016-01-24

  You need to be in the mood to watch this. The basis of the plot is revealed early on and from there it's all about what happens around that central point. It has to do a lot with how people think and feel and why they do what they do and how it affects the world entire. It is a slow story, gloomy, antiwar and anti rampant Americanism. I have to say that the negative reaction of some of the other commenters is not warranted. It was an average movie, but one of those that has enough good things to offset some minor bad things, like some sluggishness of the script and some mediocre acting. I think the worst sin the producers of this film committed is that they made a very intriguing trailer that far outshined the movie itself. Almost all high end scenes are in the trailer, that is. Big Hollywood films do that, so why no them, eh? Because you get people upset, as many comments on this site show. Bottom line: I wish the film would have been more worked on. As such, it is a gem that is still in the mud. I feel that with another edit of the material it could really shine.

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• Well Performed and Directed

  Wayne19212016-03-16

  Frankly, Terminus is smarter than those leaving the exaggerated negative reviews here. That might explain the "booooring" reactions to this very nicely turned, intelligent plot line that places character development at the center of an interesting take on how an alien intelligence is responsible for a hinted at 21st century version of Adam and Eve. Jai Koutrae, Kendra Appleton, and Todd Lasance turn out terrific, understated performances; the script is compelling and held my interest from the opening moments. The Brian Cachia score is first rate and sustained the almost nourish mood throughout. (It's sometimes forgotten how important the music is to driving the plot line). To echo another reviewer's comment, Mark Furmie's direction is indeed, "motivated and inspired." If you're expecting the typical dumbed-down, mind-numbing tripe that passes for sci-fi née fantasy these days (think auto-bots and Marvel comics), you'll be disappointed. But if, for example, Ex Machina and Under the Skin appealed to you, and you're looking for low-key, intelligent, well performed and directed story-telling, you'll enjoy Terminus.

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• For a low budget film this one is "must see"!

  Autarchus2016-03-23

  I have read a number of reviews on this site and disagree with most. I have read nearly 330 science fiction novels and with the exception of a few you can pretty well see what is coming. This movie was a delight in that the end was never obvious until you experienced the climactic scenes. This movie is a low budget masterpiece in the same vein as "Crawl or Die" which was done for $6,000.00. I am sure the budget for this film was higher but I liked both equally in that the endings were surprises. The cast was great, the acting was spot on. The character development was complete if you pay attention (some have criticized it). One reviewer noted that the actors were "obviously" meant to be cheap replacements for Christian Bale and Guy Pearce. I agree and throw in Amy Smart while you are at it. These actors did all three proud if that is what the intention was. The cinematography was done with low cost equipment but it was very well directed giving the audience the views it needed when needed. I, frankly, was amazed at the quality. One possible drawback to some is how the depressing the overall mood is at the beginning but that is integral to the story. Just so you know, I am a big fan of this type of film ... two of my past favorites are "Zardoz" and "The Quiet Earth" to give you an idea. If you liked those films you will enjoy this one.

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• Solid film making in the almost non existent Australian Sci Fi genre

  timbosssss2016-01-23

  The core premise of Terminus is an interesting one, involving one mans journey of redemption in a world headed for apocalypse. What unfolds is a solid film that could be the beginning of a promising career for director Marc Furmie. The viewer must understand how hard it is to make a genre film in Australia. But this is never an excuse for poor storytelling. The script is good but not great- the story definitely borrows from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, and Marc Furmie shows his respect to classic films from the 70's and 80's. There aren't too many original ways to spin a sci fi yarn these days and this one goes for the heart, with a believable father and daughter relationship that isn't overpowered by action and special effects (which are very well executed). One has to admire a director who can work with a limited production budget in a local film industry that is extremely difficult to get a film off the ground at all. The story unfolds carefully, we are introduced to a troubled man David Chamberlain (Jai Koutrae) who has lost his wife, and things are hard as he struggles to provide for his teenage daughter Annabelle (Kendra Appleton). From here he has an encounter with an alien life form with healing powers that draws the attention of some government operatives with ulterior motives to use the extraterrestrial powers for purposes in a global war that is at the threat of nuclear destruction. Jai Koutae's performance conjures a little bit of Matthew McConaughey, and his quest is quite believable as a man with a past who follows his convictions. The standou performance is by up and coming actress Kendra Appleton. Her portrayal of Annabelle feels at all times real and she does well with the above average script, delivering her lines with conviction. She elevates the film and we care about her character. The peripheral characters are quite cardboard, obviously put there to drive the events forward (disgruntled sidekick who gets into bar fights and helps the main protagonist achieve his goal and government agents working against the protagonist with nasty motives). The choice to set the film in a small American farming town but actually filming in Sydney, Australia was one to obviously attract an broader audience is somewhat questionable to me. The thing that made District 9 work was the fact that it embraced Johannesburg, South Africa as a setting. The Australian actors doing American accents do a good enough job, but they don't feel grounded in reality, the intangible character nuances of small town US folk are all missing from their performances. Kieren Fowler's cinematography is classical with its use of dollies and tracking shots, only going for hand-held at certain key moments. This was a good choice however the lens flares are a little overbearing at times. The score feels like your standard sci fi flick, Brian Cachia manages to rouse the emotions in the later half of the film but unfortunately it feels a little derivative and uninspired at times. I would recommend this film to Sci Fi fans, don't expect anything new, but there is a bright future for director Marc Furmie and up and coming actress Kendra Appleton.

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