The Stratum

The low 3 stars score the movie currently has is undeserving. First, Cyberpunk movies are a rarity and as fans we'll take what we can get.

Hacking sequences were done well enough. They were not as realistic as Mr. Robot, and Matrix' power plant hack, but not nearly as horrible as Hollywood's usual flying 3D cubes nonsense.

If this had Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt starring in it then the score would be 7 which is incidentally what Passengers has right now even though it's a horrible movie. So that's what I'm rating this.

While unrealistic that the science macguffin would be developed in the location it was, at least the premise was grounded in reality. No alien wormholes or ambiguous "ghosts in the machine" here.

I am a child of the 80s. Was raised on films like The Last Starfighter, Weird Science, Krull, and The Thing. Hitchhiker's Guide and the original Doctor Who were in my backyard, too. The ambience and spirit of those swashbuckling adventures inspired me, entertained me, made me laugh and made me think.

All that atmosphere and character is alive and well in The Stratum. The beauty of those films was their ability to hide a message of hope and courage amidst a sprawling story, and do it on a budget. Special effects were more practical and so the heavy lifting was done with dialogue and acting.

Crash Buist and Lauren Senechal deliver that, and more, with chemistry, ingenuity, and zeal. Stratum is one of those rare independent films that plucks on your heartstrings without telling you it will, and does it with a wink and a smile.

The dystopian future, the rogue hacker with a twinge of innocence, the plucky princess with a plan, and the duplicitous CEO; you'll find them here, but updated and real.

You can feel the joy that went into making the movie in every frame. And, at the end of the day, you might walk away inspired, to not only see the world a little differently, but maybe to try and change it, too.

I was hesitant to watch this movie based on the low review score on IMBD. However, I'm very glad I ended up watching it, even though it's nowhere near a Hollywood blockbuster financed affair. The story isn't unique and it borrows ideas and concepts from many other sci-fi movies but that isn't important or detrimental as you'll probably (if you're anything like me) find yourself rooting for the protagonists and willing them to succeed against the odds. The movie keeps up a good pace throughout and there's never a dull moment. The CGI isn't great but is certainly acceptable for this level of movie, and your fantastical mind forgives any shortcomings fills in any gaps. You not only get heroes versus villains in this storyline but you may be surprised to find out who is which if you stick with it until the final credits start to roll.

Incidentally, I was intrigued to watch the entire movie through to the end after reading some of the reviews on IMDB. So, not only do i disagree with those who cast doubt on the acting and special effects but I would go as far to say they are misleading and exaggerated negatively. I gave The Stratum 8/10 because I enjoyed it so much. Very well done to the director, cast and crew, for this little gem of a movie.

If you like Sci-Fi or Genre Movies in any capacity you, will like this movie! With Sci-Fi, does budget make a difference in how it's received? Absolutely, if you like Sci-Fi you probably like pretty space things and aliens that don't exist so a high budget movie with poor story can still be entertaining which obviously puts low budget Sci-FI movies at a big disadvantage. Luckily, "The Stratum" manages to have pretty good VFX for its low budget, to the point where you can stop thinking about the effect and just follow the story. Is it as pretty as the 50 million dollar version? Of course not, but the story here makes sense and progresses in an entertaining way with likable leads and villains. When you think of the fact that the crew was so minimal here with the two leads wearing many hats, it's even more fulfilling to have enjoyed. This feature is worth the watch and support, keep an eye out for their future projects, I definitely will be!

When you get scrape up enough money as an actor and want more exposure this is the usual method. Write, direct and star in your own film, then have another actor help you out, and call in a few more favors and buddies in the industry.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but I didn't last long. I think this is one of those movies where I had to quit and decided to watch the preview instead in hope for a summary. Too many cheesy amateur acting and that's not my thing.

When you get scrape up enough money as an actor and want more exposure this is the usual method. Write, direct and star in your own film, then have another actor help you out, and call in a few more favors and buddies in the industry.

I'm not sure what I was expecting but I didn't last long. I think this is one of those movies where I had to quit and decided to watch the preview instead in hope for a summary. Too many cheesy amateur acting and that's not my thing.