'The Twilight Zone (2002)' Retro Recap: 'Chosen'

Written by Scotty

Everyone has had a string of bad luck, but most of the time things start to look up after a while. But what if things do not start looking up and you are stuck in a downward spiral? You hope that there is some way to break the string of bad luck, but most of the time, it has to come from someone else. Always keep looking forward, since bad luck cannot last forever and you never know what you might find if you are only looking into the past.

Vince Hansen is have a bad week. First he lost his job and then he lost his girlfriend Lea as well. Needing to find a way to break free of his bad luck, Vince has to try and find a new job so he can pay his bills and Lea back for all of the money she has lent him. When Muriel and Michael come knocking, Vince is in no mood to listen to anything that they have to say, but they give him their pitch anyway. Saying that he is chosen, Vince will have opportunities greater than he could ever imagine, but believing they are part of some sort of cult, Vince bids them a fine day.

Vince was not left empty handed however, receiving a DVD from the missionaries. Watching the DVD, Vince feels very uncomfortable about what is being said, since the man on the screen seems to know everything about his past and present. Bringing his neighbor Speedy his weekly groceries, Vince hears that Michael and Muriel have been hitting the entire neighborhood with their message and giving out tapes to everyone. Before being able to discuss what was on the videos, Vince heads off to an old friend to get a job, but when he gets the boot out of the building, he is shutting himself down once again. Seeing another group of missionaries working the streets, Vince hears that the end is near and will have to stop the crazed group of he thinks may be aliens from kidnapping anyone, including himself.

Not paying attention to all of the news reports about missing people and the world powers at each other’s throats for the satellite blackout, Vince is only concerned with his lack of work. Getting cleaned up, he watches as Speedy is greeted by Muriel and Michael and taken into his home and vaporized. Calling the police, Vince tells them what he has seen and the two missionaries had to have been behind his best friend’s disappearance. When talking to the Special Agent in charge, Vince truly believes that the missing people are being abducted by aliens and has to prepare for the worst if they come back. Trying to gather Lea, Vince sees that she has already been brainwashed and barricades himself in his house, hoping to be left alone. But Muriel and Michael are persistent and will not leave without one of their chosen people, that is until shots are fired.

Looking at the story as a whole, it is actually more depressing than what has been put on the screen. Vince just needs a chance to do something good and even with the breakup between him and Lea, she still loves him and wants to be with him. But Vince is blinded by what he has heard on the streets and what the Special Agent is not saying. Becoming paranoid, Vince believes that the missionaries are out to get him, but when he finds out who they really are, it is sad to watch as he is left on his own while the world powers flex their nuclear muscles. Even if you are down on your luck, it will end eventually and make sure to keep your eyes open, there may be someone or something that can change it for the better, but you have to accept it.  

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