Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Attack of the Unknown’

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the film ‘Attack of the Unknown’.
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We truly live in an unprecedented time, storytelling wise. Because in the here and the now, anyone from anywhere can tell whatever story they have on their mind and that’s led to some incredible entertainment for fans everywhere, since streaming and broadcast and YouTube have delivered one tale after another, and it truly seems as though there is no end in sight to this onslaught of entertainment. But while it is wonderful to know that we can log onto any platform at any time and just binge whatever genre our heart desires, there is a slight downside that comes with the abundance of stories that are currently out there. In that, a lot of what we find, feels painfully familiar and understandably so.
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Because a great many storytellers are afraid of bucking the norm and telling a tale that is outlandish or wild, out of fear of being chided or ignored for trying something new. So, they stick with what is tried and true and while that definitely makes for some crowd-pleasing entertainment, it doesn’t wow us or take risks and that means it will likely be forgotten once we move onto the next item in our extensive queues. But thankfully, there are still filmmakers and storytellers out there willing to mix things up and try something new, in order to give us something special and unique, and it just so happens that the subject of today’s review, meets that particular criteria. For Attack of the Unknown is a film that takes you by surprise in several ways, starting with its fascinating plot. 

For at first glance, this seems like an everyday crime film. Since we are immediately plunged into an important drug sting, the kind that could make heroes of the LAPD Narcotics and SWAT officers involved. Because if they bring down the drug kingpin known as ‘Hades’, then they will have stopped one of the biggest monsters on the planet from peddling his illegal wares. And of course, they get the job done and are heroes for doing so and well, the familiar feel of this tale doesn’t end there. Because it isn’t long before they’re required to escort this incredible scumbag to the country jail so he can stand trial and such. Which really leads one to believe that his cohorts are going to bounce him from this secure van and the rest of the movie is going to be about our intrepid cops trying to keep a bad dude from getting loose.

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But instead, this motion picture offers up one hell of a twist. For instead of a bunch of drug thugs causing trouble… our heroes have to face off with something far more terrifying; aliens. Yes, you read that right, aliens. Because out of the blue an alien invasion gets underway, the kind where the invaders are seemingly unstoppable because of thick and powerful armor and that completely transforms the narrative into a survival theme and well, this is honestly a brilliant storytelling decision when all is said and done. Simply because you don’t see this coming in the slightest, and while this might seem like the kind of twist that could lose an audience that is invested in a crime story, that is simply not the case. Because that kind of surprise instantly grabs hold of you and never lets go, because you have to know where this plot is going to take you.
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Which as it turns out, is to some supremely philosophical places. Because rather than turn into an all-out, brainless action and horror flick, this particular story works to examine the nature of morality and sacrifice and what it means to be a hero and those are concepts that you honestly don’t see in alien-themed sci-fi/horror flicks. But that’s precisely what we find here once our heroes get a chance to catch their breath and these discussions and musings help us to understand we are dealing with some genuine heroes in this tale, the kind that will do whatever it takes to save lives, and that makes the ending of this film quite powerful. Which is something that we won’t spoil here, so that you can properly enjoy it when you settle in to watch this fascinating motion picture. 

In the end however, this really is quite the wild ride. One that is filled to the brim with enough action to please fans that are hoping for a quality throwdown between mankind and these horrific creatures and speaking of the monsters, some serious credit needs to go to special effects artist; Vincent Guastini. Because his creations here are simply top notch and rather than create something we’ve seen before, these aliens feel well, alien, and that only helps to immerse the viewer into a quality story. One that genuinely offers more than the norm and that makes this movie an outright must see. Because you simply cannot go wrong with settling in to enjoy a fci-fi/horror flick that offers you plenty of action and adventure and blood and guts, and plenty to chew upon once it’s come to an end.

‘Attack of the Unknown’ is available on VOD today.

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