A One Mann’s Movies review of “No One Will Save You” (2023).
New on Disney+ (Star) is “No One Will Save You”. Like “Close Encounters”, but a very different take on an alien visitation to earth. Not bad, but it’s a good job the scriptwriters for this weren’t paid by the word!
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) is a lonely girl in semi-exile in a remote house near to a small US town. When she does make an appearance there she is shunned and even spat at by the locals, for reasons unknown. But while she does not receive any visitors to her house, she gets them anyway… in the middle of the night.
Certification:
UK: 16+; US: 16+ (Disney+ rating).
Talent:
Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Zach Duhame.
Directed by: Brian Duffield.
Written by: Brian Duffield.
Twitter Handle: #NoOneWillSaveYou.
“Based on a True Story”. Michael Peña and the real Jose Fernandez. (Source: Amazon Studios).
“No One Will Save You” Review:
Positives:
- Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart, TV’s Dopesick, Ticket to Paradise) is a PHENOMENAL actress. Here she again impresses, carrying the whole movie on her young shoulders. She does ‘scared-shitless’ better than most other actors I’ve seen. I’m guessing the finale of the film will split audiences. But for me, her breaking of the 4th wall break to the audience with a knowing stare was just perfection. (By the way, is there a way to a bet on someone to win an Oscar within the next 10 years…? Dever would get my money. She just needs to find something dramatically ‘meaty’ and Oscar worthy).
- These films can live or die by the ‘reveal’ of the extraterrestrials, and the special effects guys (largely) do a good job here. The ‘normal’ aliens are built on the classic ‘Roswell-autopsy’ approach and there’s nothing wrong with that. (There is a sort of spindly ‘king’ or ‘queen’ alien form that I was less enamoured with. But I could raise the same criticism of “Close Encounters” for that!).
- I don’t think there is one proper (human!) line of dialogue in the whole film. The lack of speech feels like a bit of a bet that was thrown down at the regular weekly Hollywood writer’s poker game. But it’s interesting to see how well the film copes with that one hand tied behind its back.
- The film ‘shows’ rather than ‘tells’ and leaves you pleasantly confused for much of its running time! Even the ending had me scratching my head while I processed it.
Negatives:
- The story lacks credibility at times. (Yes, this statement obviously excludes the fact that aliens exist. They obviously do, your eminence…. Gronda Gronda). The aliens have these phenomenal powers to remotely manipulate objects and throw them around. Yet they only use them when the script requires them to! Brynn can be in full sight, running away from them, and… no, damn it, the kinetic-McGuffin thingamajig has gone on the blink again… would you believe it?!
- There’s nothing original under the sun, and this film pilfers from a wide range of Sci-fi classics. There is a massive nod towards Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (particularly with its “abduction of Barry” tribute); a dash of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”, a soupcon of “Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan” (with the nasty spidery thingy); and the quiet terror of “A Quiet Place“.
Summary Thoughts on “No One Will Save You”
Although plagerising heavily from other classics, this does have some intrinsic novelty and its own particular vibe. Unfortunately, however, I wasn’t wholly taken with it as a movie experience on the small screen. It’s a shame it didn’t get a cinema release where it might have made more of an impact. Kaitlyn Dever though is fabulous.
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Trailer for “No One Will Save You”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcA02w6rm44 .
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