The low key, character-based style of science fiction popularized in the 1970s is making a comeback. Movies like last year’s Arrival, Midnight Special, and even a little bit of Christopher Nolan’s 2014 film Interstellar have brought back this trend in full swing. The feel of these movies is undeniable. They’re mostly quiet and understated movies, except for when it counts, and they take the time to develop their characters. They’re high on science and imagination, but avoid the trappings of relying on an explosion every ten minutes. Don’t get me wrong, I like eye candy sci-fi as well, but there’s something so impressive about these 70s style films.
Atomica is set in a not distant from reality future where nuclear power has taken over the world, making it safer and healthier, so they tell us, except around the nuclear reactors themselves. When the power goes down in one of the nuclear reactor facilities, engineer Abby Dixon is sent in to find out what happened and get the power back on. There she meets one of the two stationed workers, Robinson Scott, who seems a little “off”. As she tries to figure out what went wrong with the power, she falls deeper into the mystery of trying to find out what happened the reactor’s stationed doctor, Dr. Zek. No one is who they seem, and the further Abby digs, the more sinister secrets of the reactor come out.
In 2015, Syfy Films debuted their first theatrical feature with the film 400 Days. I was very impressed. I ended up loving that film more than I ever expected I would. So when the opportunity came to check out Syfy’s second theatrical feature, Atomica, I was more than excited. I didn’t love Atomica as much as 400 Days, but I thought it was quite a good little movie.
What Atomica does really well is keep things simple. The film has a small cast and runs at a lean 84 minutes. The story kicks off from moment one and I was engaged from start to finish. While the idea of people secluded in a facility and maybe going crazy isn’t exactly new ground, this films handles the characters and the intrigue very confidently. I didn’t know what to expect next. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.
Speaking of that, Lord of the Rings and Lost actor Dominic Monaghan plays Robinson Scott and he’s just so damn watchable. Every time he’s on screen he’s just like a magnet. Scott is kind of a wildcard character. You don’t know whether he’s got a screw loose or if he’s got the whole thing figured out and Monaghan never shows his character’s hand. He’s brilliant in this film. It may be one of his best performances.
Sarah Habel, who plays Abby Dixon in the film, however, has no charisma whatsoever. I found her performance to be bland and off putting. I wasn’t sure if this was just miscasting for the role or if she just wasn’t very good. The character isn’t poorly written, and I wanted to root for her. Unfortunately, Habel brought zero to the table for me.
Tom Sizemore makes an appearance later on in the film as the rescued from the red zone, Dr. Zek. Sizemore ebbs and flows from being really good and really on to just looking bored in some scenes. I loved the character of Zek, though. He shifted nicely from being suspicious to being wholly trustworthy at the drop of a hat. I like characters that I can’t quite put my finger on.
That’s the entire main cast of the film. We actually spend most of the film’s run time with Dixon and Scott roaming the reactor. In fact, the production design for the said reactor is incredible. You can tell these aren’t actors standing in front of a green screen, but these are real people in a real location.
That said, there is still quite a bit of CGI in the film, particularly outside of the reactor. Unlike the effects in Syfy’s direct to TV efforts, the CGI effects are good and pretty believable in the film. The film’s crisp cinematography highlights the effects and the production design well. This is a beautiful looking movie. The poster image sums up nicely some of the more effective imagery in the film.
As I mentioned, the story isn’t the most original, but by adding enough twists and turns, the writers do a nice job making the film stand out on it’s own merits. You never can trust anybody, and you don’t know who is losing their mind on this desolate reactor. We even learn that the reactor itself may be hiding it’s own secrets. It’s pretty intriguing stuff.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Atomica. Dominic Monaghan gives a fantastic performance which will draw you in from the moment he comes on screen. Unfortunately, the other two actors don’t live up to his performance, but the characters are interesting enough to keep you engaged. Some unexpected twists keep the somewhat cliched story lively, and the film looks incredible. I recommend the film to those who like character based, small sci-fi films. This one is a really cool example of such.
3.5/5
Atomica is in select theaters this Friday, March 17th and on VOD and Digital HD on March 21st
