Film

The Recall

Name: The Recall
Genre: Science Fiction, Horror
Released: 2017
Cast: Wesley Snipes, RJ Mitte, Jedidiah Goodacre, Laura Bilgeri, Niko Pepaj

A sci-fi horror film about five friends whose lakeside vacation collides with an alien invasion. Wesley Snipes shows up as a mysterious hunter with his own agenda. It's a low-budget creature feature that prioritizes kinetic action and survival tension over elaborate world-building. For fans of B-movie thrills and practical alien designs.

TMDb rating

2.4

If you liked this

A Quiet Place2018

Aliens hunt by sound, forcing characters into tense silence. Superbly directed by John Krasinski with genuine scares and imaginative creature design that makes every noise matter.

But The premise wears thin over two hours, and some plot mechanics creak under scrutiny.

Feast2005

A creature feature about humans trapped in a bar by hungry aliens. Fast, gory, darkly funny, and unapologetic about prioritizing spectacle over sense.

But Deliberately trashy—if you want your sci-fi respectable, look elsewhere.

Extinction2018

A tense alien-invasion thriller with strong performances and real stakes. Does more with its Netflix budget than you'd expect, especially in the third act.

But Borrows heavily from better films, and the plot twist lands softer than intended.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from The Recall

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

District 92009

Both use alien contact as a catalyst to strip away civilization from ordinary people; both find horror in how fast humanity turns tribal when threatened.

Aliens as refugees, invasion as occupation, sci-fi horror as apartheid allegory. Vicious action, incredible practical effects, and moral weight that lingers.

But Shifts between documentary mockumentary and action thriller—the tonal whiplash alienates some viewers.

Fire in the Sky1993

Based on a UFO abduction account, it commits fully to the terror of being taken. Visually striking and genuinely unsettling about the unknowable.

But Slow-burn pacing won't suit anyone wanting immediate action.

Dark Skies2013

Alien horror that weaponizes suburban normalcy—things get wrong slowly then devastatingly. Genuinely creepy use of surveillance and control.

But Generic family-in-peril structure, and it doesn't quite stick the ending.

Aliens1986

The blueprint for everything you love about creature horror and sci-fi action. Sigourney Weaver, perfect direction, aliens that feel like a real threat.

But Massive and foundational—nothing here will feel fresh if you've seen it before.

Slither2006

An alien-parasite invasion treated as cosmic horror-comedy. Grotesque practical effects and genuine affection for B-movie thrills. James Gunn at his most fun.

But The tone jumps between goofy and serious; if you want consistency, it won't deliver.

The Vast of Night2019

A 1950s UFO mystery built entirely through dialogue and radio broadcasts. Ingenious low-budget filmmaking that generates dread from implication alone.

But Patience required—dialogue-heavy with minimal action and an ambiguous resolution.

Phoenix Forgotten2017

Found-footage alien abduction with genuine atmosphere and practical scares. Grounded performances and a commitment to not explaining everything.

But Found-footage format is exhausted, and the story feels slight beneath its presentation.

Nightflyers2018

Both trap a small group far from help and force them to confront threats they don't understand—except here the real horror might be each other.

A miniseries that pairs haunted-house dread with cosmic sci-fi. Strange, baroque production design, unsettling atmosphere, and George R.R. Martin source material with real bite.

But Cancelled after one season; the ending doesn't close cleanly, and its gothic sensibility is wildly uneven.

Annihilation2018

Both center on bewilderment in the face of invasive otherness that doesn't follow our rules—where the real terror is that comprehension might be impossible.

An alien phenomenon that mutates everything it touches, slowly turning a team into something other. Gorgeous cinematography, philosophical dread, and a willingness to end in genuine strangeness.

But Deliberately cryptic and refusal to explain drains some viewers; alien logic isn't human logic.