Zach Clark’s sci-fi film The Becomers tells a strange yet poignant tale of two aliens seeking refuge on our planet. In their dying world, they’re forced to evacuate, traveling through space sadly separated. Each lands on Earth, where they assume human forms to hide in plain sight among us. But finding each other won’t be easy as they navigate an unfamiliar world and its people.
Right away, this oddball cinematic journey stands apart from typical alien invasion stories. We don’t experience the fear of not knowing who to trust as impostors possibly surround us. Instead, we follow the aliens themselves as confused outsiders, grasping to understand humanity while yearning to reunite. Learning each new skill like language and customs proves both entertaining and unsettling as inaccuracies emerge.
Along the way, the film explores profound themes of identity, love against all odds, and what it means to truly fit in. But Clark’s eclectic blend of sci-fi, romance, and satire doesn’t fully gel. Tonal shifts between sweet devotion and absurd comedy sometimes clash. And subplots addressing modern politics feel only partly realized.
Still, daring concepts and committed performers ensure the experience remains intriguing, even when missed opportunities arise. The aliens’ plight resonates on a human level despite surreal settings. Ultimately, The Becomers takes an unconventional path to thought-provoking places that merit exploration, flaws and all.
A Tale of Two Worlds
This peculiar story begins with Russell Mael’s soulful narration, describing our protagonists’ homeworld facing destruction. We learn of their deep bond, formed despite careers that pull them apart. Ultimately, they’re selected for a rescue voyage to Earth, separated as their pods travel through the galaxy.
Upon arriving, each alien encounters new challenges. The first crash lands near a hunter, struggling to control an unwieldy form. A pregnant woman named Francesca proves their next vessel, but trauma ensues. Meanwhile, our other hero assumes many bodies, battling confusion over each identity.
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Slowly they adapt, with one learning English through TV in a dingy motel room. But danger looms as their eyes glow, unlike “humans.” Going on the run, their path crosses hopeful suburbanite Carol, yet her life hides darkness.
So our lovers embark on an awkward dance, inhabiting an ever-changing cast of characters as they seek each other. Russell, Isabel, Molly, and Mike bring each personality to life, though inconsistencies emerge between scenes.
When joy arrives as one finds the other, new troubles quickly follow. Carol and her husband Gordon pull them into perilous schemes, political satire morphing into black comedy horror.
Through it all, their devotion perseveres despite an unforgiving world. But can even true love survive the surreal ordeals facing these displaced beings in a strange new home? An oddball journey has only just begun.
Exploring Identity in a Strange New World
This odd little film contemplates what it means to find oneself in an unfamiliar world. Its aliens know nothing of humanity when they arrive, grasped at disguises to survive among us. But who does one become without understanding the body assumed and the culture around it?
A deep bond enduring cosmic divides anchors our protagonists as each navigates alone. But reuniting proves treacherous when forced into new forms, changing partners while clinging to love. Through it all shines their commitment, reinventing intimacy in strange shapes.
Meanwhile, Clark spotlights society from an outsider’s eyes, the absurdity obvious to naïve observers. Politics form meaningless noise, neighbors turning on neighbors in quests for enemies within. Into this tumult the aliens unwittingly fall, captives of those unveiling America’s fragmented psyche.
Still, the movie uplifts an unconventional take on classic invasion tales. Rather than fear the unfamiliar, we experience first contact through curious strangers amid humanity. The result challenges stereotypes, finding our shared hopes for home and relationship beneath cultural masks.
Though Clark’s vision falls short of its reach at times, its heart embraces the turmoil identity brings to all exploring unknown worlds, known or not. Difference unites us as much as it divides, and love remains love however shaped. An offbeat parable reminding that every story deserves a voice, however alien at first glance.
Bringing an Alien World to Life
With only modest resources, Clark crafts an alien experience that grips. His steady hand guides inventive alien antics into something oddly charming.
Standout too is Russell Mael’s soulful narration. His emotive tones set the stage, easing us into these misplaced lovers’ plight with empathy.
A rotating cast brings each shifting character to sympathetic life. No easy task as these beings learn humanity through unfamiliar skins. But performers persist in rendering nuanced emotions across variations.
Production values also shine; location work lends an honest eye. Gritty motels and discount strip malls feel like touchstones to many. These place the peculiar plainly in landscapes we all might frequent.
Even diminutive budgets leave room for eccentric touches. Props and costumes breed quirky moments that lift the humdrum strangely. Such unlikely details breathe life into even minor scenes.
In Clark’s capable hands, odd visions manifest visually compelling. His clever filmmaking style sees finesse even in limitations. Within the mundane lies magic for those observant enough to find it.
Weaving a Thread Through Strange Territories
This tale takes on a quirky quest quality, shifting tones along the way. Clark blends comedy and affection, digging into social satire before plunging into thrills. But crafting order from such disparate fibers proves taxing.
The beginnings charm in small moments, and the aliens’ bond is heartening amid confusion. Yet blending sweetness with shock grows turbulent, darker subplots unbalancing lighter tones. Focus frays as threads split, pulling attention in different ways.
Clark sees his characters to the end, yet their travels feel unfinished. Loose ends never fully knot, as diverse ideas woven into the tapestry clash instead of complement. A tighter theme centering on the outsiders’ connection could have guided a surer hand.
Not all experiments succeed, and blending genres is an ambitious craft. But amid misfires lie merits—imaginings that stir thought, crafts that bring worlds to life. Clark swings for far visions, and from the fray flecks of wonder emerge. Some sightslinger for bigger canvases than their brush allows, but their paintings stir minds anyway.
In Clark’s oddities, one finds poetry, if not resolution. His heart aims true even when execution waves. For odd fish who swim to different drummers, that spirit resonates.
Sparks of Brilliance Amid the Chaos
This oddball flick shows flashes of brilliance among its flaws. First, its heart—two lost souls torn apart yet fighting fate itself to reunite. Their bond drives the sweetest moments.
Too, newcomers and veterans alike bring each shifting character to life. Impossible roles handled with wit and warmth.
Location work also excels, everyday Americana becoming an alien world observed with interest, not contempt. Details elevate mundane settings.
But tonal shifts stumble. Jokes crash into drama, romance undone by gore. Subplots promise more than fulfill. Inconsistency plagues chimeric goals.
Potential also emerges when aliens view us in askance. Satire shines light where we’d rather darkness hide. Yet messy delivery blunts the impact hoped for.
In the end, Clark grasps grander than his grasp allows. Audacity outstrips execution at times. But flashes still fascinate, if briefly, showing a vision worth refining.
Microbudget oddities rarely satisfy completely. But those curious find imagination or insight where least expected. So it proves with this strange story of strangers in a strange land.
A Peculiar Journey into the Unknown
Zach Clark’s bizarre cinematic worlds rarely lack imagination. The Becomers takes us on another peculiar trip, conveying profound notions in fantastical guise. Despite flaws, flashes astound.
His aliens’ struggle resonates on a human level, their bond carrying the film even when focus frays. Bold genre mashups shine when juggling divergent parts proves tricky.
Clark grasps for profound visions, though execution lapses mean intended meanings elude. But inquisitive souls willing to wander off beaten paths will find glimpses of brilliance in misfires and mysteries left incomplete.
Oddball films like these live or die on audacious spirit over polish. The Becomers’ heart aims true if the head occasionally spins. Clark swings for imaginings too vast and sometimes misses. Yet his dreamers will appreciate valiant oddities stirring minds in their misfires.
For those curious what lies beyond multiplex lanes, this peculiar picture offers experiences to ponder, problems left unsolved, and questions that linger in its leftovers. An offbeat parable prodding what unites and divides us all.
The Review
The Becomers
Zach Clark's The Becomers takes peculiar cinematic risks with its shape-shifting sci-fi premise. While tone inconsistencies and an overambitious scope blunt the impact of its more profound grapplings, flashes of brilliance emerge from its strangeness. Committed performances and imaginative styling elevate glimpses of ingenuity in Clark's offbeat exploration of identity and togetherness. Though imperfect, its heart aims true—a quality appreciated by those curious enough to stray beyond well-trodden paths.
PROS
- Original perspective on the body snatcher premise
- Imaginative world building with limited resources
- Engaging exploration of themes like identity and relationships
- Strong performances navigating continuously shifting roles
- Glimpses of social and political satire amid the absurdity
CONS
- Tonal inconsistencies between genres like comedy and thriller
- Unstable narrative structure hopping between subplots
- Underdeveloped characters and storylines
- Message on society loses coherence in climactic chaos
- Potential for profundity outweighed by imperfect execution
