Frightfest 2024: ‘The Bunker’ Review
Stars: Chelsea Edmunson, Cullen Douglas, Chad Michael Collins, Tony Todd, Tobin Bell | Written by Charles L. Bunce | Directed by Brian Hanson
An alien fleet, known as the Travellers, has descended on Earth, occupying the airspace above every continent. The fate of humanity rests in the hands of an elite crew of scientists to devise a bio-weapon and eradicate the alien threat.
From its opening moments, director Brian Hanson’s The Bunker draws the audience in with familiar images from other sci-fi thrillers within its family tree. Namely, District 9, when we see an ominous-looking spacecraft during a news broadcast and Independence Day, as the exposition details the options that POTUS has considered, including firing a nuclear missile at the mothership.
The plot progresses, and we are introduced to Michelle Riley (Chelsea Edmunson). An expert microbiologist was assigned to work in the “Bunker”, a military lab located deep underground. Fortunately, preliminary investigations identified that the Travellers have a weakness. Like humans, they have a respiratory system, meaning that a virulent agent can be manufactured and dispersed into the air. However, to complicate matters, the Travellers share a similar genome to that of humans, and so there’s a danger that unleashing this bioweapon will wipe out humanity. It is up to Dr Riley and her team of scientists to find the right balance.
Adding to the dramatic tension is the dysfunctional working relationship within the team. Like Dr Riley, the rest of the team is also kept in isolated military laboratories hidden deep underground; the only means of communication is via teleconferencing technology. However, elements of the tension felt contrived, such as Dr Barlowe (Cullen Douglas), who immediately started criticising her qualifications and mocking her education after meeting Dr Riley. Meanwhile, Dr Ellis (Chad Michael Collins) pursues Dr Riley romantically, trying to take her on a date despite the world ending! To hinder their progress further is the stream of attacks that the Travellers launch against our heroes, which, if successful, can manipulate their thoughts and alter their perception of reality, leading to deadly consequences.
The Bunker asks its audience to consider various themes, and the key question that writer Charles L. Bunce asks is: why do we, as a society, always default to thinking that extraterrestrial life would be a hostile force? Bunce explores the contrarian position through Dr Ellis, who maintains an optimism that the Travellers have come in peace. This is by no means a poor stance to adopt, but Dr Ellis is undermined in his assertions by the fact that the Travellers have reportedly committed genocide on a planetary scale. Had there been more ambiguity as regards the Travellers’ intentions, this would have likely been a compelling discussion. Unfortunately, the writing did miss a beat where this was concerned and made Dr Ellis appear frustratingly idiotic in the audience’s eyes.
Writing aside, the film was carried through by its stellar acting. A special mention goes out to Chelsea Edmundson, who performed her role brilliantly. it was clear the rest of the cast was invested in this production, and each brought a compelling performance in their own right. It was also a pleasant surprise to see horror film royalty such as Tony Todd in his role as Frank Lawerence and Tobin Bell of the Saw franchise fame. However, at times, it felt they did not have much to do, particularly Tobin Bell’s character, Dr Riley’s father.
This review could not be complete without mentioning the incredible special effects applied to The Bunker. It was a spectacle to watch and kept audiences engaged throughout, which is perhaps why there was some forgiveness when the plot and dialogue fell short, as well as some of the story elements that were never fully resolved, such as the significance behind Dr Riley’s hallucinations: was it madness, the alien scan, the effective of the experimental chair? This may be a boon to her character should a sequel be released.
*** 3/5
The Bunker screened as part of this year’s Frightfest London.
