TERRESTRIAL

(director: Steve Pink; screenwriters: Connor Diedrich, Samuel Johnson; cinematographer: Tom Hernquist; music: James McAlister; cast: Jermaine Fowler (Allen), James Morosini (Ryan), Pauline Chalamet (Maddie), Edy Modica (Vic), Rob Yang (The Collector), Brendan Hunt (SJ Purcell); Runtime: 90; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Luca Balser, AJ Bourscheld, Molly Conners, Molly Gilula, Josh Jason, Austin Lantero, Ramfis Myrthil; Rachel Walden; Gummy Films; 2025)

“Fowler’s zany performance is its best selling point.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A low-budget comedy/psychological thriller directed by Steve Pink (“Hot Tub Machine”/”The Wheel”) and written by Connor Diedrich and Samuel Johnson with a loopy B-film story.

The plot revolves around a group of former college friends who go on a week-end visit to Los Angeles to see if their failed sci-fi writer friend Allen (Jermaine Fowler, comedian) is okay, as his mom confides to them she worries about his mental health.

Allen idolizes the famed sci-fi writer SJ Purcell (Brendan Hunt), who wrote a series of novels called The Neptune Cycle, which became a hit TV sci-fi series.

To make himself look successful, Allen squats in the wealthy Purcell’s abandoned Hollywood Hills mansion, drives his fancy Mustang and claims Purcell’s writings as his own. He pretends to be a success even though in reality is unpublished and broke. He keeps up this pretense until his friends catch on there’s something wrong. His friends are the free-spirited Vic (Edy Modica) and the engaged couple Ryan (James Morosini) and Maddie (Pauline Chalamet, sister of Timothy).

The whimsical story does not play it safe. It has twists, low-fi special effects, a testy dialogue, a few scenes with aliens, and unexpected mindless violence.

Fowler’s zany performance is its best selling point, and is what makes the film about fanboy obsession more enjoyable than it should be.

It played at the Fantasia Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 8/2/2025  GRADE: B-
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