Hemisphere (2023) User Reviews

XD-17

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 13 February 2024]

The Alta Miri is a space nickel processing facility located on the dark side of Mercury. It is one of three such stations owned by Moreland Mineral LTD. It has four crew members on an 87-day tour. Suddenly they go radio silent. Sandra Ramirez (Paige Rion) the ex-wife of her boss Jim (Eduardo José Paco Mateo) is tasked to go and find out what happened. The year is 2047 and space travel is fast and easy with artificial gravity at the push of a button. She discovers 1 dead body and a missing crew. Later a crew member (Julie Kashmanian) hidden in the vent duct is discovered. It appears a crew of four marauders showed up and robbed the place and then destroyed the fleeing shuttle. The computer claims there is a good chance of them coming back.

The CGI was decent. What wasn't CGI looked like a padded office hallway down to the push-bar emergency door. The acting wasn't that strong for a two-person script. Never got into building any characters. They were just plopped on us. Didn't really care for either one.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

Ambitious indie SciFi

[baccaruda1 · 6/10 · 27 April 2024]

The first thing that I want to say about this film is that it's clear that Director Chris Maes has a genuine passion for special effects, and has a deep admiration of the genre. As I was watching, it was fun for me to discover some of the inspiration that came from Sci-Fi classics such as Ridley Scott's Alien, and even some more obscure titles like Outland, starring Sean Connery and directed by Peter Hyams. It's also genuinely entertaining to me as an afficionao of independent films to see what can be accomplished when a Director/Producer has to overcome budget limitations. That's when real creativity comes to the fore. With that in mind, an ambitious film like this certainly can't be judged in the same category as something that came out of a major Hollywood studio and must be evaluated as such. That said, there were some scenes that rang true for the genre, Some beautiful composition of scenes, and others that brought a chuckle, such as a ceramic pedestal sink on a space station hovering on the dark side of Mercury. My wife and I got a good laugh out of that one! The script itself is interesting, and makes a 180 near the end of the film, to find out what that is, I guess you'll just have to watch, but it certainly caught us off-guard! The one real criticism I have is with this film is that some of the acting and directing didn't convey the gravitas of the situation that the main characters faced. Missing crew, a dead body, adrift on the dark side of Mercury, with no rescue team imminent, and IT that might be a little shady MIGHT be a situation where those who are still alive MIGHT have a little more urgency.

Am I in an alternate universe?

[fossil_watch · 2/10 · 11 February 2024]

These reviews blow my mind. Are they all written by the same person? This movie was so... not good. I get that it had an extremely low budget, but the plot was trite, acting was unconvincing and overdone, dialog was incredibly poor, and the set - parts of this "space station" were obviously made of cardboard.

Look, I can forgive a lot for an indie production, but this is one that's worse than what an average freshman film major could do. Pass on this and save yourself 90 minutes.

EDIT: Four of these raving reviewers have reviewed only this movie and nothing else. Interesting. I'm the fifth I guess. I'm here to provide some much-needed counterbalance to this peculiar parade of praises.

Hemisphere

[directors-35698 · 3 February 2024]

Sitting through this film I didn't know what to expect. What a pleasant surprise. Independent films sometimes out perform and Hemisphere is definitely one of them.

The director did a great job holding to those elements that were entertaining and impactful. I liked the conspiracy elements and the characters felt fleshed out - not an easy thing to do on a smaller budget. The sets were imaginative and visually compelling. The team here felt committed to what they were doing and it sure pays off. I've always liked these kinds of films and the filmmaking team pulls off a genre that is not easy to get right. Well done!! I couldn't recommend it enough!

Impressive!

[AKamp79 · 8/10 · 17 March 2024]

When it comes to genre filmmaking - sci-fi is my favourite. And I'll watch anything, from mega-budget Hollywood films (like Dune, Interstellar etc) to lower budget indie's.

This film is the latter. But don't let the low-budget turn you off. You have to adjust your expectations on things like production design and visual effects when watching lower budget sci-fi. If you can do that, you will appreciate this wonderful addition to the sci-fi genre.

It's about a woman sent to investigate the disappearance of a space station crew near the planet Mercury. The script here is well written, keeping you guessing and eager to find out the truth. When a surviving crew member is found, the suspense goes up a notch and the film takes a few turns. Despite the low budget, the production values are decent. The acting is great, cinematography solid - and while the budget wasn't there for extravagant production design, the filmmakers have done more than enough to make it believable and keep the viewer engaged.

If you love sci-fi, this is definitely worth taking a look at.

This cheap production has a better storyline than most high-budget Sci-Fi films

[robertjwcourtney · 7/10 · 7 May 2024]

This cheap production has a better storyline than most high-budget Sci-Fi films

Forget the "spare bedroom set" (like, why would a spaceship have colonial shutters and laminate flooring?!), the dodgy equipment (fat laptops with USB plugs), etc., etc. And focus, instead, on the story.

• AI that is given absolute control and is used to evaluate every move and decision of the human user
• Highly commercialised space and planet-exploration, where decisions are taken against stock market decisions
• An employee base made up of underpaid individuals recruited solely to keep their lives afloat
• I could go on with the details of an excellent plot

Think of it as a stage production and it is really captivating, and very clever.

Such a shame

[Xave-Ya · 3/10 · 3 April 2024]

Such a shame -please read if you're on the production team I truly hate giving a poor review, but this movie feels as if it were made as some kind of school project. It was let down so dramatically by the shockingly poor special effects, staging and costumes. This started with the (even now outdated) iPhone being used for communication on the shuttle, the AI, which looked like a cross between a one-armed bandit and a coffee machine with weird voices and even weirder accents, the whole space station looks like someone's badly made home extension, random bits of badly painted mdf stuck to stuff, a ceramic bathroom sink and wait for it... skirting boards everywhere... on a space station!?! The space suit consisted very obviously of an old crap crash helmet and ski gloves, donned over a set of overalls, I could go on but it's not great karma.

The script wasn't very high standard and the delivery in places wasn't particularly natural. It's a real shame, as this movie had some potential, but the failings were simply too many and too distracting to allow me to enjoy it. I did like the lead actress, despite what she was working with, she did a pretty good job. Also the dead body in the vent gets a thumbs up too.

A taut space thriller with a great cast!

[ryanrowe-2 · 8/10 · 5 February 2024]

An amazing, off-the-beaten path film, the kind of outlier that gets made through sheer determination and comes out shining. You quickly forget the low-budget conceits and become engrossed in the characters, beautifully played by two actresses I had not seen before (Paige Rion and Julie Kashmanian) but who are compelling and engaging. They bring to life a tense story that careens from paranoia to corruption to an ultimate reveal that is pretty shocking, and will have you thinking afterwards. If you are curious to know what indie films can do differently than gargantuan studio films, here you go. Thumbs up !

Plucky Indie-Sci-Fi worth the watch

[Lucid_Images · 22 February 2024]

Full disclosure, I know a lot of the people involved on this production, and my immediate take away from all of this is that the performances stand out the most, especially Paige and Julie's performance -- that's a testament to the direction and writing on part of the director, Chris Maes.

This being his directorial feature film debut, what stood out to me was the plucky, bare-knuckle style and grit to the film that makes it enjoyable and worth investing the time into watching. The obviously fault here is that the film wears its budget on its sleeve **which is the case for just about every indie-film** but is especially hard to overcome for indie-science fiction...if you look passed budget constraints then the story becomes a lot more meaningful and enjoyable to watch.

Beyond that, I think the real winning take-away here is that we live in a day and age where science fiction is no longer out of reach for independent filmmakers and that's both inspiring and amazing...so big kudos to the producers for having the gumption to create this. I could never have imagined anyone would attempt a 2-piece chamber film in a small set-location designed to be a space station, but I am here for it!

You can't judge this movie by the shortcomings when you see the earnest attempts made by filmmakers that cost millions and fail horribly due to cliché and forced Hollywood pandering *cough* looking at you Last Jedi....this film fits really nicely into its own category and I really hope to see what Chris has up next.

Impactful Indie film

[beemtoaustin · 8/10 · 2 February 2024]

As interesting and as obviously impressive as the Sci-Fi production values truly are, writer-director Chris Maes wisely chose to focus most of his minimalist budget and affecting narrative on his two excellent and very attractive female leads, their imperfect relationship and the desperate circumstances they are forced to solve as a team if they are to survive. The close interplay between the two felt very dramatic yet wholly natural and unforced and held my undivided attention throughout which speaks really well for this first time feature film director and his very talented crew from which I am eager to see more.

Mystery-Drama Set on Space Ship

[photo-859-401631 · 9/10 · 4 March 2024]

This is an independent mystery-drama set in the future on a space ship orbiting Mercury. The ship's crew disappears and a company investigator is sent on board to figure out what happened, abandonment or something more nefarious? As the investigator, played by Paige Rion, discovers more clues the story leads to twists and surprises. Paige plays the lead with a serious, professional tone which makes her emotional outbursts at the end all the more powerful. Julie Kashmanian plays a crew member who at first seems abrasive but slowly warms up to the investigator and perhaps holds more clues to the situation. Writer-director Chris Maes keeps the story focused on the mystery but also allows for character development among the main leads. The filmmakers are inventive in making the space ship seem real, especially the VFX of the space shots and the fantastic sound design. With a few surprises in the narrative along the way, this is a space journey worth taking.

Hemisphere- Fantastic!

[ruprict24 · 9/10 · 29 February 2024]

The director has expert pacing and stellar performances to keep the tension high as I watched. I specially liked the casting of this movie as well as its well thought out plot which sets the stage for a heart-pounding showdown towards the end. With its haunting atmosphere and relentless suspense, Hemisphere is fantastically shot cinematically and will leave people on the edge of their seats until the very end. Hemisphere is more than just a sci-fi thriller-it's a pulse-pounding exploration of humanity's resilience in the face of insurmountable odds. Very much enjoyed it and highly recommend it!

Scifi Ideas on an Indie Scale

[JeromeV79631 · 8/10 · 16 February 2024]

This is a science fiction genre movie because it projects what the world may be like in 23 years' time. According to the movie, we will be colonizing and exploiting mineral deposits on other planets in our solar system. Big companies will control what happens in most respects, with individual workers likely to be an afterthought. AI computers will have an equal say in what happens. "Hemisphere" shows us the 'what if' aspects of this likely scenario in an inventive way. Focusing on the point of view of two characters, we see how human thinking distorts during long stretches in space. Set design was pretty sparse at times, and I was hoping for more mano a mano combat, maybe. All in all, though, an intriguing entry.

Impressive Sci-Fi

[kjs1144 · 8/10 · 30 January 2024]

Hemisphere is an extremely impressive science fiction film. An investigator is sent to solve the very mysterious disappearance of a crew on a space station out near Mercury. I am always impressed when an indie science fiction film is made, as it's probably the most ambitious and difficult genre to work in with a low budget. The filmmakers really pulled this off well. The script is smart, and will keep you guessing. At times, it reminded me of Alien and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The production design was fantastic throughout. The lead actress did an excellent job as well, with a strong performance.

Really Good Indie Scifi w/ 2 Female Leads

[mvanderwalz · 10/10 · 14 February 2024]

I seek out movies like this - low-budget indie scifi flicks that don't cover the same boring territory that 99% of the Hollywood movies do. Set design is limited, but what I like here is two main characters who butt heads for most of the movie as they try to figure out WTF is happening out here near Mercury. There is also a third character I don't hear many people mentioning: AVERI, the AI computer that the crew trusts to look after their interests. Throw in a corrupt corporation back on Earth, and you've got subterfuge a-plenty! I dug the soundtrack and VFX work. Good movie to watch w/ friends on a Fri or Sat night. Play the audio LOUD, esp during Marc Laidlaw's song! Recommend.

Sci-Fi Mystery

[grace_maes · 8/10 · 20 February 2024]

An interesting, believable setting for a Sci-Fi film created on a vey low budget by a first-time screen writer-director. The story line is engaging and plot is quite believable. The dialogue between the two strong female characters is at times collaborative and at other times creates a feeling of distrust. While they appear to be working together to solve a terrible issue that occurs in outer space there a a few "red flags" that create a tension between them. Hiding from and listening to unknown persons who have invaded their ship questions arise as to how this could have happened. The climax of the film comes as a complete shock. The deception that has occurred is palpable.

Nice Edgy Space Thriller

[SGarrett49612 · 9/10 · 15 February 2024]

This movie is a little rough around the edges, but the idea is big and it seems to come from a good place. The filmmakers put a lot of themselves into this project, with attention to detail in lighting, performances, decent cutting, and keeping you guessing as a moviegoer. Second half of the movie seemed to move much faster than the first half, which drags a big for me. Nice space CGI to create the setting of the region of space you are in. Like most space movies - even the bigger ones - the physics of gravity always seems like an afterthought. Oh, well, these are the movies after all The AI aspects of the story open some interesting avenues.

Two Good Female Leads in a Space Thriller

[elizziepassa · 9/10 · 10 February 2024]

I'm not a feminist or anything, but I did appreciate this movie. It has a good set up/situation where there's an empty space station and no clue about what happened. One dead body. The whole drama comes out of this... and builds out from there. Not "the" most scifi of anything I seen - but, seriously, that is not why you should watch a movie like this. The two women reminded me of my own sister and my relationship. Constantly arguing about whose right or wrong, whose idea is the best one to follow. I was very involved, especially in the second half. There is one crazy plot twist and afterwards, I was like ??? "I I still want to know more." 9 stars for being a smart "ladies movie." 1 star taken off for the set design which seemed so-so in some scenes. For sure worth watching.

Indie sci-fi at its finest.

[hildaarani · 8/10 · 7 March 2024]

Constrained in scope and predominantly situated within a single setting, "Hemisphere" revolves around a modest cast of actors. While it falls within the low-budget category, the film captivated my attention more effectively than many independent sci-fi productions. The initial 20 minutes of the film predominantly feature Paige Rion in the role of Sandra, and she adeptly carries the narrative. However, the movie truly comes alive with the introduction of Julia Kashmanian as Phoebe. The synergy between these two actors becomes evident, and their collaboration adds a vibrant energy to the unfolding story. Embrace a hint of suspension of disbelief, and you'll embark on an enjoyable and unpredictable journey with "Hemisphere".

Realistic Futuristic Space Drama

[sugarparksmusic · 8/10 · 27 January 2024]

Each piece of this film excelled, resulting in a high quality indie space drama. The score had this minimalist, spooky vibe that was the perfect set up for the eerie isolation of being in a mystery in space. The main actresses were such naturals, they pull you in and never miss a beat. The well written dialogue probably helped set them up for such great performances. The sets, effects, and cinematography were on point, and made it seem higher budget. Even though it's sci-fi and takes place in the future the premise and experiences seemed believable and realistic in a way. Although there is a lot of talking, there is also some action, suspense, and twists. Overall a solid sci-fi film.

A really good sci-fi film

[directortim2012 · 9/10 · 28 January 2024]

This movie is an excellent blend of science fiction, suspense and a bit of a conspiracy drama. The filmmaker here does a wonderful job of taking those diverse elements and combining them into something not only highly entertaining, but downright engrossing. It's an interesting story that never failed to hold my attention. And I really liked the lead characters, as well as the movie's satisfying conclusion. This is a low-budget indie film, but it's hard to tell looking at it. The director got a lot out of a little, using imaginative effects to great use. Ultimately, this is a humanistic sci-fi film that I can wholeheartedly recommend!

True Indie Filmmaking

[tenoakhunter · 8/10 · 19 February 2024]

This film embodies the spirit of indie filmmaking where the story and the process are at its core. The creators take us on a ride into space, which is all good and well; but it doesn't matter what the destination is, the thrill is in the ride. Don't watch this film for its out of this world Hollywood special effects, or the sensationalism of household name A-list actors, It doesn't have either of those. Rather, you should watch this film because a well crafted story unfolds in a captivating way, true to the mission of indie filmmaking. The writing and performances leave me wondering if there isn't more between the two characters than what was seen... there's substance between the lines.

I Really Liked This

[dhillmaes · 9/10 · 10 February 2024]

I really connected with this low-budget indie scifi film. The two lead actresses are very good, and the storyline kept me guessing. There are some solid scares and thrills, including a well-edited countdown sequence to the arrival of hijackers that had me on the edge of my seat. Nice cinematography and sound work. Director Chris Maes and his team made great use of the limited sets to create just enough of a world to tell a believable drama/thriller. CGI exteriors were well-designed - the grungy look of the industrial ore-processing facility works nicely. If you are a fan of indie scifi movies with intrigue, check this one out.

Really, really good!

[petermattson-64-823400 · 10/10 · 2 February 2024]

You just don't usually see indie Sci-Fi this good. I was pleasantly surprised by this film. Great performances, great direction, great cinematography. Overall, cool vibe. I understand this film was written and filmed during the pandemic, which I think film critics of the future will be able to see in the story....the isolation, the uncertainty, the drama, the twists. Apparently, it is director Chris Maes' first film but he crafts it like a seasoned veteran... an amazing start to his career. I'm excited to see where he goes from here and what he plans on doing next. It's definitely worth the watch.

Clever sci-fi

[marceldorian · 8/10 · 16 February 2024]

Indie Sci-Fi's are hard to produce because special effects, CGI and sets cost a lot of money. So, when I come across one that works, it makes me happy. And the reason why this one works is because it's clever. It does borrow things from such classics like Aliens and Pandorum, but that's a good thing.

The narrative is simple and effective. Our protagonist, Sandra is sent to a space station to investigate the disappearance of the crew. She ends up finding a survivor, Phoebe. The later, tells her that hijackers killed the rest of the crew. The two of them, with the help of an A. I. must figure out how to get out of there. Once the bad guys return, they are forced to work together.

"Hey birdie, where are you?" The cat and mouse chase begins. Will the two survive? Give this gem a go and you'll find out.