FANTASIA 2020 Review - 'ALONE'

Alone
Dir John Hyams, 98 Min (USA)

John Hyams has made a (small) name for himself with action film geeks in the past few years, resurrecting the long-deceased Universal Soldiers franchise with two fantastic action films -- 2009's Regeneration and 2012's Day of Reckoning. He's also handled a sports gambling dramedy (All Square), zombie TV series (Z Nation and Black Summer), and  many episodes of various other TV shows. John is the son of Peter Hyams, one of (for me) the all time great "for hire" directors who has dabbled in multiple genres with some great results from 1972-2013 (Narrow Margin and Running Scared are both classic). So seemingly following in his father's footsteps, John's here with a remake of a 2011 Swedish horror-thriller called Gone, now titled Alone -- not to be confused with the two OTHER movies releasing this year titled Alone (yes, seriously). Long story short: John's tackling some well-charted territory, working from a derivative, un-inventive copy OF a copy in a genre that's seemingly tapped dry. But it doesn't matter; if it works, it works. And, for the most part, this works.

A recent widow Jessica (Jules Willcox) decides to get a fresh start, packing up her life in a U-Haul and hitting the road for a move. On the way, Jessica encounters a driver (Marc Menchaca) holding her up on a two lane stretch of highway, and upon attempting to pass him is nearly in a head-on collision with a semi. She stops at a motel for the evening, and in the morning finds the vehicle and the man from the day before. He's odd, but tries to apologize to her and get to know her. Jessica, naturally, isn't interested. Not long from then she finds him stranded in the middle of the road and trying to get a ride to a gas station. She almost takes him up on it, but ultimately leaves him, believing ill intent. But this will not be their last encounter...and the man is, as you may have guessed at this point, not of good character. 

The script is written by Mattias Olsson, writer and director of the original Gone. Having not seen the original, and with no real cultural or regional ideas to speak of, I'm assuming it may be an exact translation. There isn't much to the story, simply a cat and mouse game between a psychologically damaged prey and a sociopathic predator. A wrinkle is revealed midway through with veteran character actor Anthony Heald, but for the most part this is a tense, lean, mean thriller between two pretty decent actors in the woods. Hyams helms it with a deft hand, knowing when to hold on Willcox's face for optimal angst or Manchaca's mustachioed, menacing smirk. The movie doesn't overstay it's welcome, and ends with a great shot.

Again, there's nothing new here. Nothing much of substance. But it's a cat and mouse thriller with a woman finding strength in her weakness, and it does exactly what it sets out to do. Hyams handles the material with a steady hand, and Alone comes recommended.  

*** of *****

In addition to playing at Fantasia 2020, Alone will be available in limited theaters and on VOD services on September 18th courtesy of the good folks at Magnet/Magnolia Pictures!