The Visit Review

My husband and I were intrigued by this documentary's premise -- how would we humans react if aliens did in fact visit our planet? Director Michael Madsen has created a hybrid science fiction film with a documentary. He has several talking heads who directly address the camera and us, the audience as if we are "The Visitor". These experts range from a director of SETI, former military and PR officials, a UN representative for Outer Space (who knew there was such a thing?), and various scientists from NASA and Europe.

The director earnestly poses the thought experiment to these experts -- how would you react to the reality of first contact? The former government officials try to draft a press release that won't set off mass panic in the public. The biologist tries to explain to (us) the alien why he'd like to swab the alien's "skin" for tests. The former British Defence minister tries to explain to the alien that we are concerned if the visit is meant to be a threat.

Madsen, the director, uses a lot of super slow-mo high speed camera work -- of street scenes in Vienna and various museums in that city. In the Q and A after the film, he explained that he wanted to give a unique perspective -- as if the alien would see humans in a completely different way. The problem is there was SO much repetitive slow-mo paired with very slow droning music that the effect was soporific. I will be honest that I dozed off more than once during the film.

My husband and I came away admiring the ambition of the film, but were disappointed in the execution and the directorial choices made. It's difficult to make a gripping talking head movie, but there had to be a better way, faster peppier music or something.

Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/trailer-for-sundance-doc-the-visit-are-we-ready-to-meet-aliens/