The Blackout

A ropey film can be saved by a great ending; this is not that movie, but the closing scene is unexpectedly moving.

A solid sci-fi action film from Russia that proves that they have good ideas but haven't quite perfected the formula just yet with a clunky first two acts.

There are some intriguing angles in the premise, and the elaborate story details offer some social commentary, but it begins to feel bombastic and indulgent as it goes on.

It's clumsily paced in places and relies a lot on the preexisting assumptions of fans, but at its best it's still a pretty good action romp with bigger than average ideas.

A film of two halves, the first being more narrative and character driven, the second, all-out action, The Blackout is an exciting, if not fully realised invasion story.

Egor Baranov's film keeps you guessing until the very end. Constantly defying expectations and taking the plot in unusual and unexpected directions

A mouthless, Nosferatu-like extra-terrestrial sage (Artyom Tkachenko) adds intrigue, but the film is let down by a huge dump of backstory, plus a predictably franchise-baiting final coda.