Visitors

The general premise of this film is a time-worn reliable gimmick: the lone woman in jeopardy. In this case, an interesting slow-build up to the main plot device keeps audiences engrossed: a 25 year old adventuress embarks upon a solo sailboat journey around the globe. While suffering through an extended period of being becalmed in tropical waters, she begins to believe she is being visited by ghostly apparitions who intend to kill her. Initially, the plot is intriguing as we wonder whether these nocturnal fears are real or imagined. However, as the film progresses, it deviates from being a straight forward thriller and introduces a lot of awkward goobledy-gook in which our heroine is visited by ghosts of her departed parents, menacing pirates, long dead relatives, and ultimately some over-sized spiders! Before long, the tiny vessel is as crowded as the S.S. Poseidon. The acting is very credible and the photography is also admirable, but director Richard Franklin makes the cardinal sin of showing us far too much of the mysterious visitors and their omnipresent status eventually makes them no more menacing than party guests who refuse to leave even though it's the wee small hours of the morning. The cumbersome screenplay degenerates into a confusing mess, and a completely unsatisfying climax that betrays our expectations that there will be a "sting in the tail" ending that explains most of what has preceded it. In all, a noble effort, but a failed one.

Georgia Perry is an ambitious and independent minded Australian woman determined to sail solo around the world. The first several weeks go off without a hitch but as the weeks of loneliness take their toll so do the strangeness. All matters of weird goings on occur such as having conversation s with her cat and dead relatives. But is this just a case of cabin fever or is their something else at play here, maybe something otherworldly?

I'll give the authors credit for coming up with an original SciFi / Drama / Thriller hybrid that works on several levels. The direction and photography is pretty dynamic considering that 90% of the running time takes place on a sailboat. On a film like this the lead actor is a core part of the film since they will be the one holding the ship together and Radha Mitchell fits the bill perfectly. She takes us through all the emotions, from familial tragedy to terror; she does a bang up job. Surprisingly there are even some good tension and a boo or two.

"Visitors" is an excellent mostly-drama that stays interesting and engaging due to a good script and an excellent lead performance.

While facing the challenge of sailing alone around the world in one hundred and forty days, the Australian Georgia Perry (Radha Mitchell) fights against the "ghosts" of her life in her loneliness, including an unresolved relationship with her mother and the engagement with her unfaithful fiancé.

"Visitors" was a great deception for me. Since "Pitch Black", I have been a fan of the actress Radha Mitchell and I have watched many of her movies. Therefore, I expected that "Visitors" would be a great film. Unfortunately, the confused screenplay, using flashbacks to explain the innermost contradictions and conflicts of the character Georgia Perry, begins with a great atmosphere and very intriguing, but does not work well and in the end makes the movie sometimes boring and messy. The idea is good, but the screenplay is horrible. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Visitors"

Georgia Perry (Radha Mitchell) is a determined woman who sets out to sail solo around the world. Along the way she's plagued by what could either be hallucinations or ghostly visitations. Georgia finds herself up against pirates, hordes of enormous spiders, and the specter of her insane mother (Susannah York).

All this, while Georgia carries on a two-way conversation with her cat.

This is one bizarre movie. Ms. Mitchell carries it all herself, and does an admirable job. Her character must face not only various phantoms, but also personal demons and debilitating guilt.

While the ending is rather hokey, it's an exhilarating ride getting there...

"Visitors" has got a strong and likable lead. Being a fan of `Pitch Black' I decided to check this one out at the Fantasy Filmfest. The premise is promising and the atmosphere on the isolated sailing boat comes across nicely. At the theatre the surround sound is very effective because mysterious noises come from different directions. The film isn't boring but it isn't new and original either. The ending is disappointing so my rating is a solid 5. I expected a tense psycho thriller, but it isn't very exciting. You've seen everything in other and better films before.