User reviews

"Jonah," directed by Ben Van Kleek in 2024, weaves a compelling narrative about a journalist confronted with his repressed childhood trauma while investigating a mother's claim that her son was abducted by aliens. On paper, the film's premise, conflicts, and the backstories of its characters check all the boxes for a captivating thriller. It cleverly raises questions about the true intentions of each character and the enveloping mystery they are all trying to unravel, setting the stage for an engaging exploration of human emotion and the unknown.

The potential of "Jonah" lies in its ability to blend personal struggle with supernatural elements, offering a rich soil from which complex character dynamics and thrilling plot twists can grow. The backstories are poised to add depth, making the audience invested in the outcomes of these well-conceived characters. This depth, coupled with the overarching mystery, should have provided a fertile ground for suspense and engagement, drawing viewers into a web of intrigue and emotional complexity.

However, the film stumbles significantly when it comes to its execution, particularly in the casting and performance aspects. Despite the brilliance of the script and the clear vision behind the project, the actors' portrayals fall short of bringing the characters to life in a believable manner. This disconnect between the characters' potential depth and their on-screen representation undermines the immersive experience that is critical for a thriller of this nature. The audience's belief in the characters and the story they inhabit is crucial, and when the performances are not convincing, it detracts from the entire narrative, no matter how well-written or conceived it may be.

In conclusion, while "Jonah" promises a riveting exploration of human psyche intertwined with otherworldly mysteries, its impact is dulled by a cast that fails to deliver the emotional and psychological complexity required. This results in a film that, despite its intriguing premise and underlying script brilliance, offers an experience that falls below expectations, leaving viewers disengaged from what could have been a profoundly moving journey.

Total waist of time. I'm usually not one to write a review but this was honestly horrible. VERY drawn out and nothing happens the ENTIRE movie. Its not because of the fact that there's no definite answer to whether he really is being abused and whether his mom is crazy... but just simply because nothing happens. It's cheesy, hardly makes sense, no jumps, scares, or special effects or graphics...

Hardly even a plot/storyline at all!

***Entire movie= She claims he was abducted. He claims he needs to go home. The end.*** (and btw, the ending is the worst part of the entire movie, or the best depending on how you look at it...Lol)

This could have been a good movie, as the script is not bad. But it lacked actual alien involvement and left much to the imagination. Most SciFi buffs want to see the aliens, I mean c.mon! Also, the acting wasn't bad, but the actors are hardly known. The boy's psychodrama was probably the best part of the movie. If it had more higher profile actors it would have been more engaging. Also. It is a bit unreal, that these two really young paranormal skeptics would have credible knowledge about alien abductions in the first place. Anyway, it is OK for an inbetween movie if you're bored and there's nothing elese to watch.

"A journalist's childhood trauma surfaces when a mother claims that her son was abducted by aliens."

Not deserving of its rating. Anyone giving this snoozefest more than one star is being extremely generous. Nothing about this film makes it worth investing 90 minutes of your life. Boring characters and bad acting ending with a ridiculous "alien" encounter. This is not even a decent made for TV movie. I can not believe a studio invested their money in the making of this film. You've been warned. Only positive thing I can say about this experience is fortunately it was free. Do not waste your time or dollars.

Usually the plot will make or break a movie, this film has no plot whatsoever! It is utterly disjointed with unrelated storylines that go no where and never get connected other story elements.

The main character is a drug addicted "journalist" that investigates fringe paranormal stories and seems totally gullible right up to taking on this abduction story. He and the female lead (Margot) cross back and forth from believable to insane and both pretty much end as bizarre individuals.

The boy is an empty character who plays no role in the story albeit that he is supposedly the subject of the film.

One of those films that make NO sense, but if you say that film critics will claim it was too deep for you to understand!

It began as promising but as it progressed it got worse and worse and worse. I wasted 1 hour 27 minutes of precious time that I could never recover. They should have just made this to be about a psycho mother, no alien involvement. It began as promising but as it progressed it got worse and worse and worse. I wasted 1 hour 27 minutes of precious time that I could never recover. They should have just made this to be about a psycho mother, no alien involvement. It began as promising but as it progressed it got worse and worse and worse. I wasted 1 hour 27 minutes of precious time that I could never recover. They should have just made this to be about a psycho mother, no alien involvement.

Rented this on prime and it was not what I was expecting, this indie film really has a lot of religious symbolism blended together with alien theology. The cast was really good but the budget on this is low. The tension is high and it made me uncomfortable at times. The ending really makes me wonder. The film pushes what you would expect from an "alien abduction" movie. It's not typical but it does a good job at keep you engaged. The actor playing the kid was solid, really liked his performances. The mom is a crazy person. The pacing moves fast and the music really pulls you in. Overall, it's pretty good.

This movie is really original. It's a low budget film but it has some cool twists. The actors are good, I enjoyed Osric Chau from supernatural. It's not a perfect story and the ending is really bold, it kind of makes me think about what it all means, but it's kind of confusing. I would like to see a bit more action with this type of movie but overall it's worth watching. I rented it on apple. I think if you watch this movie just go into it with low expectations, it's indie and it's not traditional but the film does push and play with your emotions. Cool indie flick worth checking out if you like alien stuff.

Was NOT expecting to like JONAH as much as I did. The plot twists and turns and you really have no idea what to expect with each captivating sequence. The cinematography was both beautiful as it was mysterious, and the actors deserve credit for delivering the narrative (especially JONAH himself, a rare talent) to a dramatic conclusion that will leave you wanting more. While trying not to spoil the ending, it makes complete sense to me that there is already buzz about this movie on social media, all the different ways to interpret the masterful ending.

Make no mistake, JONAH is a thinking person's movie - satisfying the appetite of both conspiracy theorists and movie goers alike.

Of course I wasn't familiar with director Ben Van Kleek's 2023 sci-fi thriller "Jonah" prior to stumbling upon it by random chance here in 2024 and opting to sit down and watch it. As I had never even heard about the movie, I had no idea what I was in for, and thus also had zero expectations.

Writers Ben Van Kleek and Trevor Vandelac put together an interesting script and storyline. I liked how the writers sort of keep the audience in the dark, letting us guess as to what is actually going on, and what is the truth or not. So thumbs up to the writers for that accomplishment. However, it should be noted that some viewers might find the narrative to be slow paced and sluggish, especially if you're expecting a whole lot of action and events throughout the course of the 89 minutes that the movie runs for.

The movie has a rather small cast ensemble, and I wasn't familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list. It should be noted, however, that the acting performances throughout the course of the 89 minutes that the movie ran for are quite good. The actors and actresses definitely did good jobs in bringing their characters and the storyline to life on the screen.

I actually enjoyed the movie, though it is hardly a movie that I will return to a second time, because there isn't sufficient contents in the script to support more than a single viewing. But "Jonah" proved to be an adequate viewing experience and was enjoyable.

My rating of "Jonah" lands on a six out of ten stars.

Very impressed with this self-produced indie from Ben Van Kleek and Twenty68 Films. Really makes you question what else is out there.

Alaina Huffman's performance was incredible, her looks really set the thriller/mystery tone. Her son, Lincoln, also crushed his first ever acting role. His monotone prophecies were chilling.

Ken Kirby added the perfect amount of comedy to offset the dramatic scenes. And Osric Chau was a steadfast character with conviction hiding a dark secret.

The cinematography felt high-budget. Nice camera moves, drone footage, lighting was consistent and the outdoor scenes were beautifully set against the mountains and countryside.

I love anything with aliens so I thought I would give Jonah a watch. The film is a small movie (budget) but starts off with a great alien abduction mystery. It does have some really interesting moments. I do like the mom's performance and the kid was also great. The film doesn't give all the answers but it does give you goose bumps a couple of times. The flow of the story felt nice and it does push and pull with what you think is going to happen next. The ending does leave a bit abruptly and makes you wonder. I would like to know more about some things in the film but overall it was worth watching.

Very interesting film, love thrillers and mixed genre movies. So cool to see Alaina Huffman and Osric Chauu!! Big supernatural fan, so it was great to see Gadreel and Kevin Tran all in the same movie. A captivating thriller that sucked me in and still has me thinking. The story really pulled me in, really liked the abduction stuff. This movie takes a lot of twists and turns which keeps you guessing........There's a lot of tense moments and I really loved the pace of the story. The kid was excellent and he gave me goosebumps every time. I do have some questions about the ending but overall a fun watch.

Could not have enjoyed Jonah more. From beginning to end, the movie exudes a mystique about the force which encompasses the young boy. The movie leaves a lot of options as to what this "force" could be, and the beauty of it is what it leaves to the viewers own interpretation.

The cinematography, music and edits were also upstanding. The foley effects were well done. I enjoyed the setting and ambience. I do hope there is a sequel to tie off some of the intriguing questions the ending had left (without spoiling too much). Bravo for this inaugural performance. Was great to see it live in Austin.