Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'The Sighting (2015)'

Written by Scott Edwards

One of the things that I do love hearing about, are alien abduction stories. Now I know that some of them are purely made up, while some are just stories that crazy people tell, but I am sure that there could be a little bit of truth out there as well, at least I hope. I have never been one to be afraid of what the stars have in store for us, I actually welcome it if there are other creatures roaming the universe looking to make contact. Even if they are hostile, it would prove so many people right when it comes to their doubters and it would also prove that we are not alone in the universe.

Needing a project to do his thesis on, psychologist-in-training Joshua has chosen to do it on his girlfriend Mia who has a story to tell. Believing that she witnessed her mother being taken away by aliens twenty years ago, she battles through bouts of depression that Joshua thinks he can help cure. Coming up with a plan to take Mia back to the scene of the crime, where she has not been since being put into foster care days after the abduction, some closure may help her to become the woman she usually is. With camera in hand and approval to shoot everything that he can see, Joshua sees an opportunity to get help get her mind right for the rest of their days.

Traveling to Mia’s old home town in New Mexico where UFO sightings are not at all unusual, the couple meets with Detective Romero to get answers about Mia’s mother’s missing person case. With the case never being solved, but leads that point to the woman running away with another lover, Romero is not open to anything else. Blasting Mia for believing that aliens were involved, Joshua sees that Mia is not willing to accept any other answer than what she believes she witnessed twenty years ago. Hitting the road again and finding the spot where her mother was abducted, Mia feels closer to her mother now than ever and wants to take some time to reflect on her loss, along with how much she really misses her.

With the sun fading in the sky, the couple head back to the car, but the hybrid will not start. With no cell phone reception, the couple decide to try and hike their way back to town, but when the calls of the animals in the desert get to be too much for them, they decide to return to the car, which is no longer there. Heading over to an abandoned complex and having the life frightened out of them by a local, the couple tries to give chase and wind up finding their car right where they left it. As the car will still not start, a bright light appears out in front of the car and Mia now knows for sure that the aliens are trying to pick her up. Joshua however does not believe what he has just seen, but for the sake of giving his love a fair shot, he decides to talk to the locals about their beliefs in UFOs and aliens. But the hunt does not stop there as the couple locate a local guru with a much more sinister outlook about what is happening in the area, along with who might be watching them.

I find myself saying that I want an alien movie more often than not these days, and this one has helped fill the void for me. Even though the film doesn't feature the invaders that we are accustomed to, we get to see a woman prove to the world that she is right and was not lying about what happened to her mother so many years before. Seeing Mia’s story is heartbreaking as more of it unlocks and while she seems to be a well-adjusted adult, nothing will take away the love she had for her mother. Although Joshua is cynical about the entire abduction story and wants his girlfriend to get closure, he is willing to go along with the whole thing, but like most men, winds up saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. The two characters play off of each other very well and while there will be fights and hurt feelings, there is nothing that will keep them from each other. With possible cover ups, watchers, aliens and a character named Crazy Pete, it is a fun watch for those of you that believe and those of you that don’t. 

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