According to the Alien Ancestry Theory, some human bloodlines are tied to alien ones. Somehow, we’re all connected in this universe. Johnny Remo‘s sci-fi thriller, Alterity, wonders what would happen if our interspecies blood brethren came to “make a connection.”
Seventeen years ago, in the small town of Roseville, a meteor struck the Roseville Galleria. Today, the mall has been abandoned and fenced off, but lately, young teens who dare to FAFO around the place have been disappearing. According to a news reporter, Kate Reed (Mina Sundwall), the mall is about to be demolished, which prompts teen tech genius Archie (Kelvin Hodge) to grab his friends Marcus (Mark Valeriano), Zander (Jeremy Sumpter), Jordyn (Brittney Rae Carrera), Cass (Emi Curia), and Lucy (Kim Sandwich) to sneak in and hunt for what they think are “ghosts.”
Equipped with body cams and EMF meters, the gang starts exploring the mall, but they are not alone. Soon, small, insect-like creatures pester them. They chalk up the buzzing to cicadas. When Jordyn and Zander split off to investigate a strange noise, Zander wanders off alone and is confronted by a humanoid figure who stabs him with a spike. When the police pull up, the gang books it out of there, except for Zander, who’s immobilized by the spike. Jordyn barely gets him out in time.
Realizing no one will believe them, Zander asks his ex-girlfriend, Kate, to come along when the gang heads back in. Kate is unsure, and when she tells her mother, she learns her father knew aliens had come to Roseville and that the government is covering it up. Kate’s mother tells her that her father would want the story to come out.
A glowing humanoid alien hunter emerges from the darkness in Alterity.
“Seventeen years ago, in the small town of Roseville, a meteor struck the Roseville Galleria.”
Alterity gives me serious V vibes. This movie is clearly the first chapter of something bigger, and it spends most of its time laying the groundwork for what’s to come. We have a group of likable protagonists fearlessly charging into danger, driven by sheer wonder and the thrill of uncovering a conspiracy. I don’t even think they’re doing it for the likes and shares. Credit to writer/director Johnny Remo, who has laid down a solid foundation for alien world-building.
The production values are fantastic. I could swear this is an actual, honest-to-goodness abandoned mall… the empty storefronts, dead escalators, and long, silent hallways had me fooled. The filmmakers keep the scares at a medium boil. The effects blend practical and CG well, and you can tell a lot of time went into the creature and character designs, including the bugs, the needles, and the humanoid hunter. The effort shows on screen.
The acting is commendable for a sci-fi action film. Each character serves a purpose, and the performances never slip into over-the-top B-movie territory. Nobody feels like they’re just waiting for their turn to get picked off…until they are. Take my advice: if you have a teen or young adult who’s curious about sci-fi horror but not quite ready for the hard stuff, Alterity is a great place to start.
For screening information, visit the Alterity official website.
"…young teens who dare to FAFO around the place have been disappearing."
