Articles
In the world of cinema, engineering is hardly a profession that takes star billing on screen. Lives of engineers are hardly shown, let alone made into pivotal plots. But Spectral, a Netflix original film, bucks the trend.
The sci-fi flick follows engineer Mark Clyne, who is informed by his research supervisor that he must be flown to Moldova, where a war is taking place. His mission is to investigate a strange phenomenon observed by hyperspectral imaging goggles of his design that have been issued to troops.
After arriving at the military base, Clyne is shown footage captured by the goggles that reveals mysterious translucent apparitions in humanoid form that are killing instantly any soldiers they come across.
The army does not believe that the figures are interference, but rather thinks that the enemy is using advanced camouflage technology.
Clyne is sent into the battlefield to get a closer look, and, after observing the figures, concludes that they are made of known matter that he believes can be stopped using his scientific expertise.
It’s refreshing and satisfying to see the engineer framed as the hero of the film, where his knowledge and skills are his weapon. Despite the larger-than-life set-up, Clyne is put in familiar scenarios of lab tests and on-site checks that will ring true to many in the profession.
The gritty, bleak cinematography draws you into the desolate and ominous atmosphere of the world of Spectral where “science can’t explain everything”. The production quality does fall slightly short of that of a cinematic release and certain shots resemble video-game footage, but the thrilling action and intriguing storyline distract from that trivial flaw.
Given the scope of the story, the conclusion feels anti-climactic and incomplete.
Nevertheless, it’s worth a watch just to see an engineer save the day with his brains rather than brawn.