Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Fire in the Sky’

Written by Scott Edwards 

It is difficult to forgive someone, especially if what they did cut you deep. It does not matter if they are a good friend, a family member or just someone you met in passing, when they turn their back on you for no reason, there may be no coming back. I have never been one to hold a grudge against anyone, but I have some friends that will hold on to a good grudge until the day they die. When it comes to holding a grudge against a friend or family member you must remember that it is hurting both of you and in some cases, it will keep one if not both of you from moving forward in your lives.

Waiting at the bar, Sheriff Blake Davis is waiting for someone that knows a little something or another about missing person’s cases, because he has a doozy. When Lieutenant Frank Watters finally arrives, he is given full access to the witnesses, but what they tell him makes the Lieutenant all the more curious about what is really going on. Saying that their friend Travis was taken away by aliens does not work with what he knows and Frank wants to know what really happened and if their friend was killed or not.

During his statement, Mike tells Frank and his tape recorder about how the two men were close friends and that Travis was even ready to marry his little sister. Heading out to the mountains to fulfill their contract, the two met up with the rest of the crew, David, Greg, Bobby and Dallis and were ready to cut down some trees. Working from dawn to dusk, the men were exhausted and making their way down the hill when they saw a strange light in the sky that looked like a fire was raging the way they were headed. Trying to beat the fire out of the woods, Travis saw something and had Mike stop the car so he could get out and investigate. Seeing what appeared to be a spaceship, Travis stood under the beautiful lights, but before he knew it, he was stunned by something and all of the men fear that he is dead.  Leaving the scene, Mike comes to terms that his best friend must be dead but wanted to get his body as that is what his friend would do for him. Not being able to find Travis upon his return, Mike fears for the worst, that his friend has been abducted by aliens and there is nothing they can do to save him.

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Listening to the story, Frank rolls his eyes and knows that there is something else going on with the group and seeing the dislike that Dallis has for Travis, he believes that Travis is still in the woods, but in how many pieces, he does not know.  Forming a search party with over a hundred men, including Travis’ friends, the men find nothing, but the group of loggers find out what the rest of the town is thinking about them, that they are murderers. Knowing the truth, Mike is not ready to let his story be checked by the television stations and is very reluctant to get a lie detector test for fear that something bad might come out of it. Losing his grip on his everyday life, Mike winds up finding himself alone when his wife leaves him, but a phone call from Travis five days after he disappeared livens his night up. Finding his friend hunkered down in a gas station, Mike knows that the truth will come out, but will anyone, including his own family believe where his friend has been for the past week?

When turning this movie on, I thought it would be an abduction story, but it was about much more then that when Lieutenant Frank Watters makes his way to the small town. Being an expert in missing persons, especially cases that deal with murder, he believes that the men were behind the disappearance and just needs to get them to crack. Mike, David, Greg and Bobby are eyed up and down in the town like they have done something wrong, but with some of their actions, they end up bringing it upon themselves. Getting into the mind of Mike a little bit, you get to see what problems he is dealing with on a wider level other than just being broke and losing his best friend. Talk about putting a cast together for a movie, this one is terrific with stars from the early nineties and even some folks that have been around much longer than that. An enjoyable movie and even though I did not cry during it, you have plenty of emotions filling the screen before and after the abduction.

Five Takeaways

1. If you see an alien spacecraft hovering overhead, do not stand directly under it.
2. When being questioned about what you saw, just tell the truth and stick to it.
3. When your wife needs your help around the house, do not brush her off.
4. When you find your best friend, naked at a gas station, bring a blanket and have him tested by a group of alien hunters before you talk to him.
5. Even when you are found after an alien abduction, people will still be challenging your story, so make sure to keep telling it the same way, or you will probably go to jail.

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To learn more about actor D.B. Sweeney’s preparations to play Travis Walton, check out our interview with him, here.

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