Radius (2017) User Reviews (240)

Prooves you don't need a big budget to make good entertainment

[verminhater · 7/10 · 19 November 2017]

A very good thriller with a scifi theme.

A mysterious effect, acquired after an accident, of killing anything within 50 ft of a man that's nullified by a woman is the central concept here. Both main characters have amnesia after that car crash.

It's been some time since I watched a film that generated as much tension as this and full credit to the director for such an achievement with what must have been a limited budget (too limited to actually crash the vehicle even). The acting is decent enough but the real credit, I feel, should go to the director for this very good movie. There's little happening at times and to maintain tension is a difficult task that very few directors achieve. There's little throughout the film to explain the phenomenon leaving the two main characters trying to understand their roles in it as the main thrust of the film.

The ending does not explain the phenomenon at all and some will find that frustrating but the film isn't about this. It's about whether the central character finds redemption and the film wraps this point up nicely. I won't explain further as you won't thank me for giving away the ending. If you watch this thinking it's scifi then you'll probably be unimpressed with the ending. If you're watching it as a thriller with a scifi theme then you'll probably like it.

Decent Movie

[Freedom060286 · 7/10 · 22 August 2018]

This movie could fit several genres: certainly sci-fi, thriller and suspense, but also mystery, crime, drama and horror.

There's never a dull minute from beginning to end, it gets your attention early. The suspenseful story reveals a little information here and there, and keeps you thinking until the end.

There is some quality acting from people I'd never seen before. It's refreshing to see new faces instead of the same overexposed actors.

Not perfect but I liked it a lot

[kuarinofu · 7/10 · 27 January 2020]

Radius lured me in with an interesting premise, but I stayed for the characters.

While watching this I came up with many versions of what was actually happening, but in the end the explanation itself was not required for me to enjoy this.

I liked the characters, their arcs, and the fact that the story was built around them. The writing was not as stupid as in many low budget sci-fi films, yet I can't really call this a sci-fi film, can I?

I mean, it was clearly marketed as a sci-fi mystery and even the titles suggests something like that, but it's actually a completely different movie.

Don't approach this as a sci-fi film with an easy explanation and if you enjoy emotionally packed films you will like this one.

Wow i didnt expect that!

[d_ilicak · 5 September 2018]

I started watching this thinking, here we another low budget fail. I was completely wrong. Watch it and i challenge you to hate it. Your so involved in the movie, keeps you in suspense.. So well executed!

I want more movies like this,

Don't go in expecting Citizen Kane and you may be pleasantly surprised

[fzammetti · 7/10 · 17 February 2018]

I took a flyer on this movie because the description looked interesting (and I also noted the guy from The Black List, which I'm a fan of, starred). I'm glad I did! The premise is one I don't recall ever having seen before and that was fun. If you give this a go try NOT to read the description because it'd be better to be trying to figure it out right along with the characters, but it won't ruin anything if you know going in.

I thought the acting was pretty good across the board and I very much appreciate the fact that it just jumps right in without any long setup work. Sometimes you absolutely need such setup work (and I'm always telling my impatient kids to give movies time to develop the story and characters) but in this case it works great to not have to get through it.

It's well-made from a technical standpoint and I don't think you'll have any complaints in that area.

As for complaints? The "twist" ending fell a little flat because as a writer myself I felt there was more interesting ways to go. That said, I wouldn't call it a bad ending, I think it works in the same sort of fatalistic way The Mist works (it's highly divisive, but I think The Mist is one of the best endings in movie history so you may want to use that as a guide to whether you're going to like this one or not - which is NOT to say they're identical or anything like that, I just mean in terms of tone). Whether you're let down or not I don't think you would be to the extent that it ruins the experience.

Really, for me, if you're expecting an all-time classic here then yeah, skip it because that's not what you're going to get. But, if you want a decent movie that I think will keep you interested throughout, is definitely on the dark side (something I like in movies) and that may surprise you a little bit in terms of story and in terms of how good it is then yeah, I think this is one to give a try. I for one liked it and have no problem recommending to others.

Great concept, full of potental, only partly achieved.

[noxaman · 6/10 · 31 March 2022]

Its hard to be down on a low budget film with such a great premise, but (for me) the execution wasn't there. The script left a lot to be desired, and combined with some flat acting, bits are kind of hard to watch. It's hard to say if its the script, acting or both. The plot is more or less what you'd expect, and the final act is actually a pretty cool idea, but again the execution brought it down.

Enough with the negatives though, this film isn't all bad. The idea is really cool, and I wish I could have seen this without the spoilers of the title and plot teaser. I think perhaps the greatest draw of this film is lost when you can't go on the same journey of discovery with our mystery man. That aside, I still enjoyed the early scenes quite a bit.

I really hope these kinds of low budget sci-fi films keep getting made. They many not all be gems, but they're usually more interesting than another billion dollar marvel film. 5.5/10.

Excellent Concept, Strong Execution

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 8 November 2017]

Liam (Diego Klattenhoff, star of TV's "The Blacklist") wakes from a car crash with no memory of who he is. As he makes his way into town to look for help, he finds only dead bodies, all with strange pale eyes. Liam's first assessment is that a virus is present in the air, but he soon discovers the horrible truth.

This film was born with Fantasia's Frontières Market serving as midwife way back in 2012. Other great films in recent years that came out of this process are "Turbo Kid", "The Void" and "Raw", so the track record is rather strong. (The late George Romero's "Road of the Dead" most recently went through the market and may arrive in 2018.) A few producers were attached and dropped out along the way (hence the multi-year genesis), but ultimately everything worked out.

At first, I thought that perhaps the creators give too much away in their plot description (which I have shortened) and title, but this turns out not to be the case. While the viewer will be more rewarded the less they know going in, the cause of death is only the first in a series of surprises and twists. A far more interesting one awaits.

It cannot be overstated how absolutely wonderful this original concept is. Allegedly, it was inspired in part by the style and format of "Oldboy" (which is not at all obvious) mixed with the plot of an old Superman comic. There are mild horror elements, mixed in with an overall science fiction or supernatural premise. When we find out about the memory of the Santa beard, a mystery element is added. And still further the constant police chase adds an action element, making this a hard film to categorize (other than it is not much of a western or romance!).

The production value is clearly high, and the cinematography from Simon Villeneuve is rich and gorgeous. Charlotte Sullivan's acting seems a little too rehearsed, a little tense and unrealistic. This is a shame, really, because according to her, she approached the role as though she were Kim Novak in "Vertigo" or some other Hitchcock tale, which seems like a strong mindset to use. Diego Klattenhoff hits it out of the park, however. While his character's history and motives are constantly under question, Klattenhoff plays Liam with such warmth that we cannot help but side with him as he goes through this ordeal.

While it is hard to review this film without giving away too much, it really is a must-see. An official selection of FrightFest, Fantastic Fest, and Fantasia Film Festival, everyone else gets to finally see it available on VOD on November 10, 2017. Courtesy of Epic Pictures, the fine folks who gave us "Turbo Kid" and "Tales of Halloween".

Good idea.....but why?

[radhrh · 5/10 · 1 August 2023]

An interesting premise doesn't necessarily translate to a good movie. It takes a lot more than that and I'm afraid this low budget Canadian indie movie demonstrates that. I'm reminded of the old news room cliche; it's not about the who or the where or the when, the real story is the why. Unfortunately we never learn why the events of Radius occur other than some vague nonsense about a bolt of space lightning and that's a problem for me. Many reviewers seem to think this is way out there next league writing but it really isn't anything special, about par for The Twilight Zone but not as good as Black Mirror although there is a killer twist. Is that a spoiler?

As previously mentioned this is a low budget affair but it doesn't need a big budget to make a decent film. Unfortunately it does require a big budget to hire good actors and while the male lead, Diego Klattenhoff is just about convincing his co-star Charlotte Sullivan is wooden and her presence on screen only serves to constantly remind the viewer that they are watching a low budget movie. Shame.

Surprisingly good

[roberto-488-18764 · 9/10 · 16 February 2018]

I seriously can´t understand the bad ratings. This is an extremely well made and entertaining movie. Acting and cinematography are excellent and the plot keeps the audience engaged the whole time. Though foreseeable for some, twists are pretty logical and not disappointing at all. I totally recommend it.

Pretty good despite a slow start

[Stevieboy666 · 6/10 · 23 August 2018]

Saw this on the Horror Channel as part of their Frightfest season. Never know what you're going to get, a lot of movies they show don't live up to much. But on the other hand a few are a cut above average and this is one such example. It's a bit slow to start with but is well made & it gradually drew me in. Certainly an interesting concept, a good combination of sci fi and horror. Seeing people & animals suddenly drop dead is very eerie, no matter how many times it is shown. Worth a view

Ending out of nowhere

[wmzcx · 5/10 · 16 July 2023]

This was an interesting movie right up until the moment we learn who Liam really is. At that point, we're expected to believe that not only did this inexplicable cosmic event afflict him with his terrible power, (and tie it to his planned next victim) but that it also completely changed his personality from homicidal monster to decent, caring, and self-sacrificing.

The magic space zap is something I can suspend my disbelief over, because it sets up an intriguing mystery and character study. Evil to good at the flip of a switch is far less believable, especially since they had another, more interesting story sitting right there with Jane/Rose's husband. The tension in their relationship actually makes sense if he's the killer. The unfolding movie is then about Jane solving the mystery of her missing sister and also allows for Liam's sacrifice to be both believable and to have more emotional weight.

Real missed opportunity.

An Original

[jamesmikell · 9/10 · 5 December 2018]

It's rare that I watch a movie that catches me completely off guard. I don't understand the low ratings. This movie gets a 10 for originality.

Better than you might think

[george-pawlyszyn · 7/10 · 4 December 2017]

I did not have high expectations for the movie but it was worth the watch and well acted and crafted. The ending was of course a cliché in one sense but it re-wrote the film you had just been watching and made you look back at the relationships between the main three characters (husband, woman, male lead)and reflect on how without memory we are victims of circumstance and how the woman trusted the serial killer more than her husband until the truth was revealed. She also was his redemption - first she stopped him killing when close by and in the end he sacrificed himself to save her. So the twist ending I think served a bigger purpose than just surprise. Have to say - I did wonder what he was doing wandering around at night on a deserted bridge when they met...

Intriguing, then "yawn" the end.

[johnott1864 · 5/10 · 10 November 2017]

Interesting at first. Kept looking for a big reveal. Constantly questioning the characters actions and reasoning. Why did they do that, or why did they say that. Their actions at times didn't make any sense. The ending was weak, an easy way out and fell flat. Disappointing. Would not recommend.

Great movie -Spoiler

[viktoriyatutev · 11 February 2018]

It seems like a lot of reviewers did not like the end of the movie. I think the end was the best part of the movie and the only logical ending. There was no other way for her to be saved but him to sacrifice himself. Also, what happened to him changed him in a good way- from wanting to kill to trying not to kill. The movie has a much deeper premise than what most people think.

intriguing premise

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 12 July 2019]

Liam Hartwell (Diego Klattenhoff) wakes up from a car crash with no memories, even his own name. He waves down a passing car and driver dies. He finds a roadside diner and everybody is dead. Fearing toxic air, he barricades himself in a house. He tries to wave off a man but he also drops dead. He approaches a crow and it drops dead. He realizes that he's the cause of the deaths. A Jane Doe (Charlotte Sullivan) happens upon the house and he's surprised that she doesn't die. She is similarly afflicted with amnesia and they are apparently connected through an inciting incident.

I like the initial concept. I'm more leery of the Jane Doe addition and the complication to the initial concept. I'm willing to go with it as long as it gets to a satisfying sci-fi explanation. Then the movie gets to the final reveal. It's a detour to something else. I'm waiting for the sci-fi plot and it does something else. The sci-fi premise seems to be sidelined for this ending. The incident can't be that simple. It needs to be something more. While I appreciate the writing of the twist, it's a detour down the wrong path.

Interesting story

[pilot1009 · 7/10 · 21 February 2020]

Not a SciFi really but an entertaining film and worth a watch. Quite well acted and twist at the end makes thsi a good effort.

Compelling story and thought experiment

[BigGuy · 7/10 · 4 October 2019]

One thing I have always loved about Sci-Fi is how they can flesh out a thought experiment. The how/why something happens is secondary to what chain of events occurs when you start with a catalyzing thought/event.

In this case the the thought experiment is what would happen if everything that came within 50ft of a person dropped dead instantly. How would that person react, how would they figure it out? That was the portion of the story that I found compelling and interesting. The second part of the thought experiment, is what if there is another person who renders his powers safe.

The second aspect of the story, is that person in question, wakes up with amnesia. He can't remember who he is or anything about his life. There is also another person who also can't remember her life, and happened to be in the car wreck with him right before he woke up.

The part I found less compelling was the backstory of the two main characters. It was an odd mystery thriller added on top, that was kind of at odds with the characters' arc. It also kind of made the ending seem morally OK (perhaps even blah), instead of poignant and/or tragic. For many viewers, I assume, the added layer may make it more enticing, so I can't say it was bad, just not for me.

The ending did leave some unanswered questions, but that is to be expected and even desired for movies like this. Overall the movie was very well done, and worth watching.

Sigh...the dangers of ambitious bait and switches...

[GreyHunter · 5/10 · 10 May 2019]

Some MacGuffins, you don't need to explain. You don't need to know what's in Marcellus' briefcase, for instance. Some MacGuffins, on the other hand, you kinda do. Or at least rationalize. The MacGuffin here is the central conceit of the movie, and the filmmakers even attempt to create a detailed scenario -- lightning strike from outer space, a blackened circle that wasn't "burnt" (it was odd that he couldn't tell that immediately from the distinct lack of a burnt vegetation smell) and two people who are apparently connected by it. The problem here is that the whole movie could easily have been made without the "death at 50 yards, woman prevents it" plot point. That's how you can tell that a MacGuffin has been misused -- when you can completely remove it and the basic plot will still be exactly the same. The only difference would be removing the "sci-fi" tag because the plot is as follows: two people wake up with no memory after a crash. They desperately seek answers. With the police on the hunt for a serial killer and his supposed accomplice, they are in a race against time to find a solution and get their memories back. They both start recovering memories, only to learn that the man is a serial killer and the woman was to be his next victim. She takes control of the situation. The man, having no empathic connection to his old self, chooses suicide over living with his curse and putting his intended victim, who he has come to love, or at least like, through any further hell. The end. The radius stuff? Achieved absolutely nothing. There might have been some metaphorical connections made, with the serial killer becoming, well, an unintentional serial killer, but the movie doesn't even dare to explore that potential point.

In itself, it wasn't a terrible movie, which is why I rated it 5 stars. But it was a deeply flawed movie because the filmmakers tried to pull a fast one on the audience -- perhaps reasoning that sci-fi is popular nowadays, and didn't trust their generic thriller to stand out without that aspect (and they were right, it doesn't stand out.) It was just deeply disappointing to get all the way to the end to discover that the sci-fi conceit was just window dressing of the cheapest sort. I don't ask for some exposition laid out for us, but I do ask that the conceit at least has some relevance and meaning.

Good Story, Solid Entertainment

[gema-1 · 8/10 · 8 December 2017]

I'm confused by the reviews that state that the ending was pointless. The movie starts after something mysterious happened and it never gets explained, but we see the result of it and that - in the end - horrors and wonders are helpless against what makes us human. I don't need a Marvel-Comic explanation why super-hero/villain comes into being, the story was really good and the movie is self-contained and thrilling.

It didn't break any barriers, did not change me or anything like that - it was solid, very very good entertainment and deserves every of its 8 points.

Sometimes you get a surprise, good movie.

[Paulo_Clemente · 7/10 · 30 August 2018]

Radius is a ok sci fi thriller, it´s not great but it´s nice to watch. There some spins along the story that helps to keep you in suspense. A man wakes up and has no memory only to find projecting a field that kills everything alive near him. He tries to get away from everybody but son meats a woman that blocks his field, so along as they near each other he will not kill anything. After a while their memory start to slowly comeback and everything unfolds from there The story is ok, different , actors do ok and along the film come some surprises that takes the story to directions that you where not expecting. On the end in my opinion you watch a nice movie.

A Saint Maud or Fractured it is not.

[ananyabhattasali · 1/10 · 21 August 2023]

This was so bad that I specifically made an IMDB account to write this. Someone on social media gave this movie a rave review and I was actually excited to watch it. It started off with a strong enough premise and despite the stilted dialogue, it seemed like one of those TV movies that wouldn't be amazing but at least somewhat satisfying.

The plot twist in the final 15 minutes could've gone to so many interesting places. But magical lightening?!? Seriously? As someone who enjoys horror and supernatural thrillers, this payoff felt completely hollow.

Kinda surprised that this drivel was so well received, even on the comments here. I guess if you're going to watch it, go in with zero expectations.

Loved this movie - would def recommend

[gailmoir · 9/10 · 4 December 2018]

Atmospheric. Great acting. Fantastic storyline. And superb ending. Was not expecting that twist. Didn't expect to enjoy it but I did. Don't listen to the haters. It's not high budget with graphics to hold it up. The story and directing holds all on its own.

Great Canadian sci-fi hriller!

[bramstayer · 7/10 · 20 June 2018]

I enjoyed this is was cool enough to not bore me i loved the twist cuz they really did well with the time they had to make you slowly care for every charachter. This is a great date movie! Fun! Loved the actors well cast! I adore these twilight zone styled films.nothing is quite as it appears.i recommended this? No over the top anything. FUN!

Could Have Been a Burner ...

[Breumaster · 4/10 · 6 February 2020]

... but failed. The scenario itself is very interesting and I was under suspense for quite a time, but the end is not pleasent at all - I didn't like it. The main problem with this title hints for a bigger end than the end that, which finally dissapointed me completely. There could have been so much more of the very interesting beginning. I had the impression that the makers didn't have a clue what would be a better ending. That's real sorry - good approach, cheap end. No recommendation from me, save your time.