Descendent (2025) - Film Review

      Descendent, 2025.

      Written and Directed by Peter Cilella

      Starring Ross Marquand, Sarah Bolger, Susan Wilder, Charlene Amoia, Dan O’Brien, Brandon Scott, Alexandra Barreto, Alex Ruiz, Clare Cooney, Aisha Camille Kabia, Martin Garcia, Peter Cilella, and Emily Pendergast.

      SYNOPSIS:

      An LA school guard, troubled by family tragedy, begins to have unusual visions after a mysterious light appears in the sky. With his wife's due date approaching, he struggles to confront his inner demons before his obsession takes over.

      While there is an alien abduction about 20 minutes into Peter Cirella’s Descendent—which features established modern sci-fi creators Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead as producers, and Ross Marquand in the lead—you'll find that the movie focuses less on the horror aspect of the abduction and more on metaphorically exploring the anxiety of impending fatherhood. This leads to a point where once the viewer recognizes the metaphor, the film doesn't have much direction left.

      The conclusion is unsatisfying, as it wraps things up in an overly convenient and lackluster manner, suggesting that it has exhausted its ideas for creating tension within the protagonist. While it does provide some emotionally satisfying resolution to a significant part of this character’s life, it's abrupt that, despite the clichéd hallucinations and nightmare sequences, the film ends when it seems poised to delve into deeper themes. This isn't to imply that Descendent should conclude with an intense sci-fi action sequence or take the horror to extremes, but rather that it presents a light character exploration amid a paranoid unraveling that, at times, is engaging and relatable yet predominantly manipulates its audience in uninteresting ways.

      Sean (Ross Marquand) stands on the brink of fatherhood, embodying traditional notions of masculinity and fatherhood, highlighted by his dedication as a school guard, which may open doors to a similar position with a tech billionaire through a connection. His very pregnant wife, Andrea (Sarah Bolger), appreciates this but reminds him of her enjoyment in her own career. Sean’s troubled past is revealed, potentially explaining his unhealthy drive to be a provider, even if it means ignoring contemporary gender roles.

      Having been orphaned and raised by his best friend Christian’s (Dan O’Brien) family, Sean finds himself among generally decent people who either provide misguided advice or express skepticism about his abilities as a father. During an intimate moment at a party, Christian callously suggests abortion. Over time, he becomes a negative influence, stirring up Sean's deepest fears such as the perceived need to own a gun for family protection. Predictably, Sean is so trapped in his own mind (the film effectively serves as a prolonged metaphor for the anxieties related to fatherhood) that he begins to neglect Andrea, who is experiencing issues that might lead to an early delivery. His mental absence raises questions about the longevity of their relationship.

      Part of Sean's relentless paranoia stems from an alien abduction, after which he wakes up with no memories yet haunted by visions of confinement opposite his troubled father. He suddenly finds the ability to create eerie drawings typical of supernatural films, with a therapist encouraging him that it's normal to discover hidden talents after potential brain trauma, and urges him to continue, as it will help bring clarity to his mind.

      Throughout this ordeal, Sean’s mental condition worsens, and both Andrea (notably, the performances effectively capture their characters' respective anxieties despite narrative shortcomings) and the unborn child seem at risk due to association. Descendent presents several potential solutions to play out; however, it relies largely on misdirection that, while not terrifying, reinforces the notion that Peter Cilella may be struggling with where to take his material beyond a promising premise and metaphor.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

      Robert Kojder