Not much to say here. Bad photography. Amateur acting. This is the type of film where I kept expecting some soft porn, but even that was a let down. I can't give any spoilers because the plot was nearly impossible to follow. At first I thought this was a made for TV movie for the Sci-Fi channel, but Sci-Fi channel has some production values, at least. Yeah, this was obviously made on a miniscule budget, but I've seen some low budget films that totally rocked. A lot of the CGI looked like a video game. Not as lame as Jimmy Neutron, but not up to current video game standards. At least Jimmy Neutron is funny sometimes. Planetfall was just . . . boring.
7 Reviews
Not great, but not bad either.
Zach_Mandt13 March 2007
I would have to say that ambition is what is really displayed here. This movie is one more attempt at bridging the gap between you-tube and Hollywood. Some parts made me want to shave my head, tear my clothes, be forgiven and come to repentance, while others had me thinking; "Wow, I can't believe this was a low budget film" Filled up with a range of acting talent, this movie isn't for everyone. But it IS a testament that feature's are doable, and fun. Though the story doesn't take you anywhere you might go in some sort of Vin Diesel-esquire sci-fi thriller, it does take you to some places that perhaps ended up on the fifth-elements cutting room floor. I would recommend this movie to anyone with an hour or so to kill who can refrain from comparing it to any of the summer blockbusters. As it stands, it's a true testament to sci-fi indie film making being developed and done on the cheap. congratulations to the crew and staff that put it together. So brave...
simply atrocious
movieman_kev5 March 2007
Shot on the (very) cheap, the futuristic spaghetti western about various people trying to get their hands on a cargo of something is marred by hideously awful acting, bland generic dialog, laughably sad special effects, and absolutely nothing that could feasibly be construed as entertaining in the least. If you only had 24 hours to live, then and ONLY then consider watching this because it'll make 90 minutes feel like an eternity. My god, I'd prefer almost any of those crappy 'originals' on the Sci-Fi channel to this piece of garbage. Everyone involved in this production should be just hanging their respective heads in shame right about now. (and YES that last part is a joke, just to fill the required 10 lines)
My Grade: F
My Grade: F
Late-Night Drive-In Entertainment on a Shoestring Sci-Fi Budget
fido-1313 March 2007
I'm a firm believer in the idea that a film should be judged based on what the filmmakers were striving for and how close they came to that mark. Not every sci-fi film is, or even intends to be, something as amazing as "Aliens." When held up next to "Doctor Zhivago" or "Dr. Strangelove," "Planetfall" just looks ridiculous. But compare it to a more appropriate doctor, such as "Dr. Who," and you'll better understand the nature of these filmmakers' ambitions.
This isn't a film that achieves (or even strives for) brilliance. It does, however, stay true to its roots: campy Dr. Who-style sci-fi flicks, slutty drive-in movie extravaganzas and decades of dusty spaghetti westerns pieced together with more passion than experience.
Like 2004's impressive budget sci-fi film "Primer," "Planetfall" is clearly a labor of love crafted with dedication and maxed-out credit cards rather than studio expertise and several million in investment capital.
Though it's certainly not flawless, it's absolutely entertaining, and at points inspiring, particularly when one views the DVD's attendant "making of" pieces and learns the hurdles involved in shoestring sci-fi.
This isn't a film that achieves (or even strives for) brilliance. It does, however, stay true to its roots: campy Dr. Who-style sci-fi flicks, slutty drive-in movie extravaganzas and decades of dusty spaghetti westerns pieced together with more passion than experience.
Like 2004's impressive budget sci-fi film "Primer," "Planetfall" is clearly a labor of love crafted with dedication and maxed-out credit cards rather than studio expertise and several million in investment capital.
Though it's certainly not flawless, it's absolutely entertaining, and at points inspiring, particularly when one views the DVD's attendant "making of" pieces and learns the hurdles involved in shoestring sci-fi.
The Good,The Bad and the Ugly in OUTER SPACE !
guestar5711 April 2007
PLANETFALL(Heretic/Carschool film-o-rama)//www.myspace.com/hereticgenre Starring: Ted V. Mikels,John Levene and Chaz Truog. Although the leads remind you of Nicole Kidman and Carrie Fischer,This is NOT their movie. The computer graphics in PF are fantastic,Really top notch look.I feel talking about the budget HAS nothing to do with the actual film you will see.This is a epic Sci-Fi/Western themed adventure.PF has a rich background story of race struggle and the united search for a most powerful object.The music is really great,Perfect for each scene.At times PF comes off like one of those BBC Sci-Fi efforts,That PBS loves to show when they want us starving US pledgers to call-in donations.Seriously I tried to find something to pick on,If you knew me better,You say sounds too professional for your tastes.If this hadn't taken for so long to film(Gleaned from huge extras included) ,I'd say look for sequels---Too Bad A+ effort.
It does get better as it goes along
Rosettes7 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I had to watch this movie in two sittings. The first one, I stopped after 20 minutes, unbelieving how bad it seem to me. But then I scanned the comments here and decided to give it another chance. I thought I would go on and on, thinking that it would always get better but..... surprise, surprise, it did get better, couldn't put it into pause.
The special effects aren't that great and it obviously borrows from other films in parts, in theme, and line style; sometimes in a pretty poor imitation of more famous productions. But the villains are lovable and the heroines are independent. It may be ridiculous at parts but it's not really a comedy but it's a few steps short of serious. Being in between, it's not a failure as with other productions that never really decide what they are trying to accomplish. It has a goal, it tells the story, and it completes it in an enjoyable view.
The special effects aren't that great and it obviously borrows from other films in parts, in theme, and line style; sometimes in a pretty poor imitation of more famous productions. But the villains are lovable and the heroines are independent. It may be ridiculous at parts but it's not really a comedy but it's a few steps short of serious. Being in between, it's not a failure as with other productions that never really decide what they are trying to accomplish. It has a goal, it tells the story, and it completes it in an enjoyable view.
Good, cheap sci-fi fun
trashmag1 March 2007
'Planetfall' is kind of a mix of spaghetti westerns with the post apocalyptic sci-fi genre. It's ambitious stuff for a low budget, shot on video feature, but director Gianni Mezzanotte manages to pull it off fairly well. There are some rough spots, notably the very obvious CGI effects. However, the cast is more capable than what one usually expects from a movie this cheap, and they manage to invest their characters with enough sincerity and believability to pull at least this viewer into the story.
By no means is this any kind of sci-fi classic, but it has more heart and soul than any slick Sci Fi Channel original. The screenplay is fairly well written and coherent, and you can tell that everyone involved in making 'Planetfall' cared about telling the story and did the best they could. There's nothing deep going on here, no art film pretensions or serious message. It's just a cheap, fun movie made for the love of film-making and telling a story.
By no means is this any kind of sci-fi classic, but it has more heart and soul than any slick Sci Fi Channel original. The screenplay is fairly well written and coherent, and you can tell that everyone involved in making 'Planetfall' cared about telling the story and did the best they could. There's nothing deep going on here, no art film pretensions or serious message. It's just a cheap, fun movie made for the love of film-making and telling a story.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
