Film Review – The Discovery

In terms of going for the Big Idea, “The Discovery” swings for the fences. The screenplay by Justin Lader and Charlie McDowell (who also directs) takes a look at the afterlife, not as an abstract concept constructed by religious ideology, but a very real place — a plane of existence that one man has discovered and the world is stampeding to get there. There hasn’t been a movie like this in quite some time, giving the production a chance to create something profound, unsettling, and downright brave, while still handling a sci-fi concept that wouldn’t be out of place during the dystopia gold rush of the 1970s. And, for at least half the run time, it feels like writers are on to something amazing. Cruelly, “The Discovery” doesn’t follow through on its initial promise, eventually losing its nerve to challenge and amaze, soon relying on the indie film playbook to connect the dots, which is an impossible task when dealing with life after death. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com