“Since 1970, a rogue group known as UGO Sweden has been investigating unexplained phenomena. This story is inspired by their determination to answer humanity’s ultimate question: Are we alone?”
If the opening title card alone doesn’t pique your interest, then just keep watching. From the Swedish filmmaking team known as Crazy Pictures, Watch the Skies — a title as intriguing as the opening title card — hits theaters this week and shows promise right from the get-go with a thrilling cold open followed by a heartfelt journey that ensues years later, as we watch a young girl who aspires to finish what her dreamer of a dad once started. And yes, it involves looking at what’s beyond planet Earth and believing that there is other life out there— especially given the strange occurrences that humankind hasn’t been able to explain over the years.
It seems that here in the U.S., the government is ready to admit we’re not alone, and with Watch the Skies, Sweden wants its top officials to be on the same wavelength. Plus, you don’t have to be a Tom DeLonge-grade E.T. junkie to appreciate this exciting new addition to the sci-fi genre. Watch the Skies is visually stunning, with grounded, relatable characters who occasionally make you chuckle with inspired joy, just like the supporting players in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 classic (you know the one). We encourage you to bask in this film’s infectious childlike wonders as well.
Aliens Exist (?)
4
/5
- Release Date
-
May 9, 2025
- Runtime
-
115 minutes
- Director
-
Victor Danell
- Writers
-
Jimmy Nivrén Olsson
- Producers
-
Emil Wiklund
Cast
-
-
Jesper Barkselius
Lennart
- Feels like a tribute to classic sci-fi adventure movies
- Immersive AI dubbing looks and sounds great
- You’re left wanting more from the aliens
Watch the Skies is being marketed as the world’s first full-length theatrical feature to use AI for immersive dubbing, which makes the Swedish characters look as though they are speaking English. The approach is reportedly endorsed by SAG and is pretty seamless, to the point that you don’t even need subtitles to enjoy the film’s end result. Once you wrap your head around the innovative dubbing, and you will, it’s time to embrace the delightful cast of characters in Watch the Skies, starting with lovable young lead Denise (Inez Dahl Torhaug, a knockout). There are the typical beats and makings of a YA-friendly adventure film, laced with sci-fi of course, given that the heroine’s home life is a perpetual eye-roll. School feels about the same, for that matter, despite the fact that we can tell she’s a genius.
When she’s not confined to the prison cell that is a classroom, Denise is sneaking back home and hiding out in her garage, where she tinkers away at her dad’s old technology, trying to piece together just what, exactly, he had been finagling with in the movie’s opening sequence. When her dad suddenly goes missing without explanation, everyone assumes he skipped town, but of course Denise is convinced he was abducted by the very aliens he was trying to contact. When the skies do illuminate with beautiful and mysterious hues, watch as Denise’s eyes light up like Elliott in E.T. and even Joe Lamb in Super 8 (2011), the first sighting prompting her to finally take action to track down the UFO-seeking club her dad joined.
There’s one familiar face still in the organization, Lennart Svahn (the excellent Jesper Barkselius), now sporting a thick mustache to demonstrate the years that have passed since Dad’s mysterious disappearance. Sure, he still seems as determined as ever, despite pushback from certain fellow club members, but his aging and perpetually drained complexion could also be attributed to a juicy little C-story involving his ex-laboratory coworker Kicki (Eva Melander), who helped oust Lennart years ago so she could claim his extraterrestrial findings for herself. Another appealing side character is young local cop Tomi (Sara Shirpey), who is like a protective older sis to Denise, but is often torn between supporting her UFO obsession and upholding the law. Watch how all these little side quests come to a head in the harrowing third act.
Believe in Denise, At Least
During this final act, Crazy Pictures’ climactic sequence undoubtedly goes heavy on CGI, but not necessarily to a fault, especially since the plot developments are on par with the preceding film. Even during a certain emotionally heavy, mind-melting scene when Denise comes to terms with her past (no spoilers), Watch the Skies doesn’t make a false move or betray its heroine’s principles. You won’t feel let down by any of her tough decisions in the face of eye-opening discoveries, making for a successful narrative experience you’ll find yourself recommending to your Spielberg-loving pals.
Of course, Watch the Skies is hitting theaters without any Hollywood star power to boost its marketing campaign, but these actors are enjoyable to watch. That includes another UFO club member, Töna (Isabelle Kyed), who is adorably feisty and scene-stealing throughout; someone I’d love to see in more movies. Finally, you might be left wanting a lot more in terms of being immersed in how the UFOs operate, despite certain visually stunning scenes toward the end. Maybe that’s what Watch the Skies 2 can offer, hypothetically speaking.
Watch the Skies will be released only in theaters on Friday, May 9.
