Breach
Ratings: 2.7/5
Duration: 92 Minutes
Language: English
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi
Director: John Suits
Writer: Edward Drake, Corey Large
Producer: Corey Large, Danny Roth
Music: Scott Glasgow
Cinematography: Will Stone
Editing: Robert Crosby, Nicholas Larrabure
Release Date: 18 December 2020
Star Cast: Cody Kearsley, Bruce Willis, Rachel Nichols, Kassandra Clementi, Johnny Messner, Corey Large, Callan Mulvey, Timothy V. Murphy, Johann Urb, Ralf Moeller, Alexander Kane, Angie Pack, Van Ayasit, Swen Temmel, Adam Huel Potter, Thomas Jane, Everly Large and Eric Buarque
Plot: The story opens in the year 2242. The scene is quite unpleasant but relatable considering the current pandemic that has shaken the world completely. The only difference is that it is the plague that has been wiping out most of the humanity in that time. Quite an eerie mirroring of real-world events.
The plague has led to the earth being inhabitable. Due to this catastrophe, only a handful of survivors are alive, and the plan is to ship them all safely to a colony on a planet dubbed ‘New Earth’. Intricate details about the new home are wholly absent and so one cannot imagine what such a new space would look and feel like for humans who have seen life only on Earth.
Of all the survivors, there is a couple - a pregnant woman, Hayley (Kassandra Clementi), and her boyfriend, Noah (Cody Kearsley). The two struggles to get aboard the last ship headed to the safe colony. But luckily, they succeed in doing so. However, Noah, being a stowaway, poses as a member of the ship’s staff who is mainly in charge of cleaning the craft’s bathroom stalls. As a part of the strategic move, the last 300,000 colonists, including Hayley, and the ship’s gruff Admiral (Jane) are placed in a six-month cryo-stasis. At the same time, the ship’s crew goes about their mission in an almost off-handed, languid manner.
At this point, the acts of Noah catch the attention of one of the ship’s veteran crew, Clay (Willis), who seems more interested in rebuking Noah for his professional incompetence than assuming his responsibility. Noah who is a misfit, struggle with going about his tasks without enthusiasm, as his priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of Hayley, and their unborn child. There is some back and forth between Noah’s listless chores and the crew getting high, and then hell breaks loose on the ship.
One of the crew members quite literally explodes after being host to the alien parasite that managed to sneak into the beer he was ingesting. And suddenly everyone is alert of the parasitic alien that is snuck onboard. This shape-shifting alien infects one crew member after the next, liquifying their organs into black goo and using their bodies as a sentient skin suit meant to viciously attack whomever it encounters.
Will the last humans ever make it to the New Earth? How will Clay be instrumental in killing the parasitic alien? Will Noah and Hayley survive this tragedy? The movie eventually unfolds to answer all these questions.
Review: The current pandemic situation has changed the course of thinking of many creative writers who are taking inspiration from the real world. Breach, which was shot in the fall of 2019 is also made on the lines where Earth is getting inhabitable and the last survivors are doing everything to make it through.
While 2020 did not witness the release of too many mind-bending sci-fi ventures, there were some solid entries, such as the especially poignant brilliance of The Vast of Night and Richard Stanley’s Color Out of Space. The visceral, almost-dystopian horrors that plagued 2020 in the real world created a void within most, ushering the need to escape into fictional worlds that are immersive and intricate.
Director Jon Suits’ direct-to-VOD sci-fi thriller, Breach, is definitely not a step in that direction, as it is helmed by wholly-derivate and an unoriginal premise that is presented in all its clichéd glory, despite featuring prominent actors like Thomas Jane and Bruce Willis.
Also, for those who don’t know this is the fourth time Bruce Willis and Johnny Messner have starred in movies together. Previously, they appeared in Tears of The Sun, The Whole Ten Yards and Hostage.
Breach is absolutely the amalgamation of the dozens of sci-fi-action/horror films you think it is. The likes of Alien, Event Horizon, The Thing, Sunshine and Resident Evil are liberally referenced and homaged throughout, occasionally with cute wink-wink nods to the audience. And sadly, it feels like the screenwriters Edward Drake and Corey Large – who have also penned a few more of Willis’ upcoming movies – didn’t have any original ideas of their own.
The supporting cast is rounded out by a few recognisable names and faces; Southern-accented Commander Stanley, Timothy V. Murphy is hammy fun as the hot-headed, while Rachel Nichols is easily the most likeable presence as wryly funny medic Chambers.
The visual effects are spotty but honestly not terrible in many scenes, and an ambitious foray into body horror effects emerges in the third act which, while unconvincing, at least feels like a spirited swing and a whiff.
Music-wise, Scott Glasgow’s droning musical score also sets an appropriate mood, even if the various gunshot and creature sound effects are pulled from a thoroughly exhausted stock sound library.
Breach isn’t nearly as offensively lazy as most of Bruce Willis’ recent direct-to-consumer action flicks, largely by way of its better-than-expected production values and solid supporting cast. It certainly feels like Suits and his crew were genuinely trying to make a good movie rather than delivering a nothing Product. As a piece of filmmaking, this is better produced than most recent Willis streamer outings; the ship set looks like money was spent on it and convincingly matches up to what you’d reasonably expect from the genre.
