Portals

Humans have always been interested in sience fiction, learning about technology, physics, space and what we might learn about the future. And there is a good reason to why we are so fascinated about all of this, the ability to do things easier in the future. Just imagine when we can travel with space ships, or travel from one destination to another, just like in Star Trek while being transported. All of this may sound impossible right now, but i would not be surprised if we will see a lot of new technology in the future that we have only seen in movies. What if you could travel through time, through a special developed program ? This is exactly what happened in the cult science fiction action film Timecop, released in 1994. Directed by Peter Hyams, this film tells the story of police officer Max Walker ( played by Jean-Claude Van Damme ) who is offered a position at The Time Enforcement Comission ( TEC ). He is not sure if he should take the offer, until one night when his wife Melissa Walker ( played by actress Mia Sara ), is attacked by unkown assailants as Max see the house explode. Max see a chance through the TEC program to go back in time to save his wife. Timecop is one of those sci fi action films that manage to be more clever than most action films, and deliver some great action scenes as well. I suggest you pick it up on DVD or Blu Ray, and enjoy it with your family. Since we are talking about science fiction films, i got a chance to sit down and watch a sci fi film known as Portals. I have seen the trailer of this film, but i was mostly hooked up by the cool looking poster. I also noticed that this is an anthology film, with directors from the really good anthology horror film V/H/S/2. It is not often we get an sci fi anthology film these days, so is Portals a pleasent surprise, or should this film have been left to dust in an addict ?

All over many locations, strange looking dark portals appear in front of people. No one knows why, or what this is supposed to mean. At first it seems that no one really have any answers, until an unexpected turn can reveal some of the answers.

If you have been looking for a ground breaking science fiction independent film, you are not going to find it with Portals. However, this is an interesting sci fi film for a number a reasons, and let me explain why. We get to hear different stories, where these black portals have a meaning for each story. How would you react if a black hole approached you, out of nowhere, and what does it mean ? Is this a sign that the world we once knew is about to change ? Is this a sign of the end of times ? Is there a special purpose for these portals ? To get your own idea on what the film is trying to say, you have to see the film and figure out yourself. We have here a number of different directors, who have tried to tell a story each, with the portals as the main subject. When it comes to the stories, i like some stories more than some of the others. And i especially enjoy one story, that is called Call Center Part II, from director Gregg Hale ( who also directed one of the stories of the film V/H/S/2 ). I have to say that actor Paul McCarthy-Boyington gives one of the best peformances in this film, as the character Stan. The thing about Stan is that he seems to have known about these portals, but no one takes him seriously. So this clearly makes him more interesting, when people see that Stan´s vision may have been correct. The other segment i enjoy is the story known as Sarah, directed by Eduardo Sanchez ( the director of the horror film Exists ). This story may start off slow at first, but manage to become more interesting as two sisters find themselves stuck inside a car parking building with a portal and strange people. The acting in most stories are very divided, where a few actors give a performance that fit their characters. Even if Portals could have been a stronger film, i find myself enjoying the concept of Portals. This film does not rely on CGI effects or typical science fiction stories, but takes a different turn into a more deeper meaning. If you are not planning on watching the latest Star Wars film, give Portals a chance. This is an independent film, made for a certain kind of audience who appreciate independent films.

Rating: DDD