‘He’s coming …back’
Skyman is a 2020 American science-fiction film about a man who believes he experienced an alien encounter when he was ten-years-old. Now he is trying to reconnect with the UFO at the same location.
Written and directed by Daniel Myrick co-director of The Blair Witch Project), the movie stars Michael Selle, Nicolette Sweeney and Faleolo Alailima.
Official synopsis:
‘In 1987, just days after his 10th birthday, Carl Merryweather rocked the local news community when he claimed he was visited by an extraterrestrial life form. Despite other alleged sightings reported that same evening, sceptical authorities shrugged off the claims.
Now, almost three obsessive decades later, Carl is set on a mission to reunite with the being he calls ‘the Skyman’ to not only prove the sceptics wrong but to ultimately find his own true sense of purpose. Through first-hand home videos interwoven with news footage and interviews, Skyman is a bold and compelling study of the fascinating and unquestioning world of UFO subculture.’
Reviews:
“Sporadically, the deliberately organic, semi-improvised tone doesn’t quite gel, and there are momentary longueurs that could derail the story. But Myrick’s decision to keep the narrative simple, and instead concentrate on the characters, means there’s always a thick strand of sympathy and tragedy at play.” Austin Chronicle
“If this was a story about a real human being then I would accuse the filmmakers of taking advantage of Carl Merryweather. Fortunately, this is not the case and so they can only be accused of making a boring movie rather than an exploitative one. This production does not warrant the emotions needed to truly tear apart because, bluntly speaking, Skyman is just a dull experience all around.” Big Fanboy
“Skyman definitely reignites that sense of cosmic wonder you may have felt while pondering the possibility of other intelligent life in the universe, but the encounter itself isn’t particularly awe-inspiring.” Dread Central
” …by the time the movie ends, many will find themselves unexpectedly speculating on the same startling subjects and searching the skies for solutions. Skyman may offer a definitive denouement to its own odyssey, but its ending efficiently encourages further examination, leaving behind a legacy that will linger with viewers for years to come.” Loud and Clear
“Like its protagonist, Skyman has its own expectations to fulfill, mainly in terms of generating suspense, laying out little mysteries, and answering the movie’s big one. Myrick’s heart, which finds so much sympathy for Carl and Gina, just doesn’t seem to be into the movie’s inevitable turn toward the horror elements.” Mark Reviews Movies
“Whereas The Blair Witch Project made the most of setting up the foreboding lore around its supernatural antagonist, Skyman fails to cash in fully on its potential, leaving much to be desired. Unless you yourself are a UFO enthusiast or a found-footage devout, there isn’t quite enough excitement to keep you entertained for the entire runtime. I hate to be that guy to say “it needs more aliens,” but it kinda does.” Nightmarish Conjurings
“Given Myrick’s pedigree with the genre, it’s fair to have expected something a little more scary with Skyman. Maybe not a “vengeful witch in the woods” scary, but I would’ve settled for a Fire in the Sky kind of disturbing found footage vibe. The film’s more sci-fi finale is a tacked-on afterthought.” UK Film Review
“Other people may voice their doubts, but the film lets you draw your own conclusions. Towards the end, things do get a bit more complicated. Military personnel from a nearby base try to get them to leave “for their own safety”. Despite the fact, they’re on their own property […] The last twenty or so minutes is as close traditional sci-fi or horror as the film gets.” Voices from the Balcony
Release:
In the USA, Gravitas Ventures released Skyman theatrically in drive-ins on June 30th 2020 followed by a VOD release on July 7th 2020.
Cast and characters:
• Michael Selle … Carl Merryweather
• Nicolette Sweeney … Gina Campbell
• Faleolo Alailima … Marcus Florio
• Jacob Sandler … Young Carl Merryweather
• Willow Hale … Mrs Cummings
• Patricia Lentz … Denise
• Lee Broda … Nurse Mary
• Michele Yeager … Vanessa the news anchor
• Paul Wilson … Timothy
• Avery Guerra … Experiencer / alien abductee
• Erik Lunseth … Josh Lambert
• Jakob Verweij … Young Carl’s Friend
• Dominic Medina … Sound Guy
