Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
When was the last time you found yourself totally stunned by a movie? It’s probably been a while. We are being bombarded with twisty science fiction left and right, but once in a while, something truly hits the nail on the head – and that’s exactly what Radius does. This is a movie that starts out with a premise so insane you wonder how it can possibly be sustained, and wraps up with a conclusion so breathtaking you might not be able to handle it. This is Radius.
We won’t tell you too much, because that would ruin the fun – and this is one of those movies you definitely want to go into blind – but we’ll go through the basics. Written and directed by married couple Caroline Labrèche and Steeve Léonard, Radius kicks off with enough mystery to pique anyone’s interest. After a man named Liam (Diego Klattenhoff) wakes up in a wrecked truck, he ventures out for help. He can’t remember anything, doesn’t know his name, and as he visits each location in search of help, he finds everyone dead. While he initially believes that some kind of virus is affecting these people, he soon realizes that the deaths are being caused by him. Once Jane (Charlotte Sullivan), a woman with amnesia, arrives at his home and tells him they were in the accident together, it’s clear she is not affected by his affliction and may actually possess the power to stop it. The two set out to discover the truth behind this terrifying phenomenon, and what ensues is bonkers, sci-fi greatness.
By slowly feeding us the smallest of clues, Radius proves that it has faith in the intelligence of its audience – but it also wants to keep us on the edge of our seats. In addition to the intriguing supernatural elements at play here, there’s a surprising amount of emotional depth present throughout the film. Many of the twists and turns are devastating on levels that most thrillers struggle to ever reach.
It’s not often that a story with this compelling a hook is able to stay interesting (or smart) for long, but even in its most mind-bending moments, it maintains a sense of self-awareness and depth that sets it apart from many of its genre counterparts. Perhaps what works best about the film is the commitment to its fascinating, gutsy premise and the momentum at play throughout its compact run-time. Radius is the kind of film bound to please sci-fi fans, horror buffs, and drama devotees alike; it seem a little too crazy for some, but it’s undeniably watchable. Get Radius on your radar. You won’t regret it.
