As a big fan of science fiction, particularly stories involving alien invasions, I always approach those kinds of films with excitement. What critics or audiences think doesn't influence my enjoyment; nothing really does. Knowing the cast, director, writers, and producers immediately tells me how high or low to set my expectations. With that in mind, I was hoping Captive State might be a pleasant surprise for 2019. The concept is unusual and has the potential for a unique story if handled well, so the key question became: did they successfully carry out their ideas? Unfortunately, they didn't. Not even close. Honestly, the screenplay felt so tangled and disorganized that I frequently felt “lost.” I can appreciate the effort put into this film because it’s evident in what’s presented. The core concept and its implications are all there; the story itself is interesting. It’s simply the way it's told that undermines everything. Still, after the movie ended, I overheard someone say: “I was expecting massive action and…” If you go to the theater anticipating a straightforward, action-packed alien invasion film and leave feeling let down, then your expectations were misplaced! The trailers and marketing never suggested "pure action, humans versus aliens." It attempted to offer a different perspective on this subgenre. They had all the ingredients: a strong cast including John Goodman (as William Mulligan), who is consistently impressive; beautiful visual effects that enhanced the set design; and aliens with an intriguing physical appearance. Sadly, there’s very little of the aliens visible throughout the film. There's hardly … anything. I don’t know what happened during post-production, but it seems they were pressured to create something different, so they cut a lot of scenes featuring extraterrestrial elements (I am certain that they had more). The fundamental problem is that a story can’t be entirely ambiguous. Arrival is probably the best unconventional alien invasion movie ever made, not because it shows few aliens or action sequences, but due to its twisty and thought-provoking script. Even so, it still reveals quite a bit! You don't leave that film feeling disappointed because you didn’t see the inside of a spaceship or an actual alien; instead, you feel perplexed and amazed. Captive State simply leaves you confused and wanting more—a lot more. There isn’t much else to say about this review without venturing into spoiler territory. Sadly, this is one of those movies that appears each year with significant promise and an innovative premise, but ultimately falls short. It doesn't organize its story or ideas in the most effective way possible. The execution feels clumsy, featuring underdeveloped characters, a lack of narrative flow (it feels like scene after scene), excessive vagueness, and a desperate hope that you haven’t figured out an obvious twist so they can shock you near the very end. It's not terrible, but it is definitely frustrating and disappointing. John Goodman delivers another excellent performance, and the visual effects are striking. The production quality is undeniable; they clearly worked hard to create an environment that feels authentic. The first act is quite good, but it goes downhill from there. Ashton Sanders shares the lead with Goodman, and he’s also pretty good. However, this encapsulates the film rather well: if I have to look online to discover the name of the main character (Gabriel Drummond), then something went seriously wrong. It won't end up being one of the worst movies of the year, but so far, it’s the biggest disappointment. Rating: C-

Source on TMDB