Here is a survival sci-fi thriller in which Abby (Ella Balinska) is trying to save the life of her sister, who is stricken with apparently terminal cancer. Abby’s tenacious sense that the possibility of a cure exists is the major guiding force behind a narrative that goes to some strange and unexpected places. For most of the run time, Abby is trying to return home from the site of a helicopter crash in the remote wilds of of Georgia, where the odds of survival are minimal and her only companion is the disembodied voice of comedian Rob Delaney, who plays a pilot – or is he? – who has also crashlanded somewhere in the wilderness.
Delaney, best known for his work in comedies such as the excellent Catastrophe, gives an excellent voice-only performance, but it’s Balinska’s show, and she delivers the kind of turn that made Sigourney Weaver a legend in Alien: brave but vulnerable, strong yet struggling. Casting directors should sign her up asap.
But it’s a shame that both performers are stuck in a film that’s not as sharply sketched as they are. It’s a case of plentiful ideas and a plethora of rug pulls, but if you pull the rug out too many times, the audience ends up focused entirely on the rug, and losing attention on the character’s journey. With so many excellent elements in place, it’s frustrating that it doesn’t work better overall.
• The Occupant is on digital platforms from 1 September.
