HOVER (2018)

Studio:       Syfy Films
Director:    Matt Osterman
Writer:       Cleopatra Coleman
Producer:  Travis Stevens, Claire Haley
Stars:     Cleopatra Coleman, Shane Coffey, Craig muMs Grant, Fabianne Therese, Rhoda Griffis, Andre Starks, Rhonda Johnson Dents, Kasandra Bandfield, Leo Fitzpatrick, Beth Grant

Review Score:

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Summary:

With the world facing a food shortage, a woman who works for an assisted suicide company uncovers a conspiracy involving farming drones.

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Synopsis:     Show/Hide Spoilers

As the world continues confronting a food shortage crisis, the Vastgrow Corporation introduces their new property protection Sentinel Drone to complement the Planter Drones widely used by farmers. A sentinel drone is seen killing an intruder on a farm by remotely frying him from the inside.

John Everett and his partner Claudia work for Transitions, a company that legally assists with suicides. On their drive back after helping to euthanize farmer Charles Raymond, Claudia has John pull over so that she can throw up. Claudia sees a planter drone observing her, which John notes as odd since planter drones are not supposed to operate at night.

Later that evening, a home test reveals Claudia is pregnant. The following day, Claudia tells John that the father is Jason, who is their married boss at Transitions. John starts to tell Claudia a secret of his own, but changes his mind.

At her home, Claudia watches Vastgrow CEO Anna Cook give a TV interview about breaking ground on a new production facility. In his home, John is attacked and killed by a pair of drones.

At the office the next day, Claudia gathers the courage to tell Jason about her pregnancy, but is interrupted by the news of John’s death. Jason promotes Claudia to John’s former position because of the recent increase in business for Transitions. Tania is assigned as Claudia’s new partner.

Claudia stops for directions at a Vastgrow drone repair facility. A technician later revealed to be named Isaiah tells Claudia where she can find the Smith farm.

Claudia and Tania notice a destroyed drone on the Smith Family’s porch. Claudia and Tania prepare to euthanize Helen Smith’s ill husband Abner. Abner and Helen’s son Victor tells Claudia and Tania that the drones are evil, and claims something bad is happening to all of the farming families that have them.

Instead of passing peacefully, Abner convulses violently during his transition. Afterward, Claudia berates Tania for failing to properly secure Abner’s gasmask.

Claudia meets the Smith Family’s neighbor Joanna Andrews, who was friends with John, while receiving mourners at the house. Victor passes out pamphlets to warn farmers about the drones.

Claudia notices a car following her and Tania. Claudia catches Tania using her Transitions tablet after entering her hotel room while she wasn’t there. Claudia’s credit scan is inexplicably declined when she tries to purchase flowers.

Claudia returns to the Smith farm to find that the house burned down. Claudia discovers Victor’s charred corpse in the rubble.

Claudia tails the car that had been following her. Joanna runs the other car off the road. Claudia discovers that the other car was operating without a driver.

Claudia goes to see Joanna. Claudia tells Joanna that Victor is dead and someone is after her. Joanna has Claudia lay down when she becomes sick again.

A conversation in the kitchen between Joanna and Isaiah wakes Claudia. Joanna and Isaiah reveal to Claudia that they were working with John on uncovering a conspiracy involving Vastgrow and Transitions.

Joanna and Isaiah take Claudia to meet farmer Bud Dunn and his daughter Greta. Bud details how sick farmers are unable to get rid of drones because they are leased, making their crops the patented property of Vastgrow.

Isaiah reveals that the autonomous sentinel drones were developed in collaboration with the Department of Defense. From John’s coded notebook, Claudia discovers that she and John were being sent to transition people dying from the drones, effectively hiding mass murder committed by Vastgrow.

Isaiah, Joanna, and Claudia agree to stage a scene at the groundbreaking ceremony where Vastgrow CEO Anna Cook will be. Drones surround the house and kill Joanna. Isaiah recues Claudia from another drone by using a remote handle, which can control one drone at a time from a short distance. Claudia and Isaiah race to the ceremony site with drones in pursuit.

A guard takes Claudia into custody at the press conference. Held in a room, Claudia confronts Jason as well as Anna for their roles in the conspiracy to kill farmers, steal crops, and cover it up. Anna claims she is merely doing it to save the world by resolving the food shortage crisis.

Outside, drones attack the crowd. Tania is one of the bystanders whose head explodes.

A drone kills Claudia’s guard. Claudia uses the remote handle to battle a drone and escape outside. Once all of the drones are destroyed, Claudia reunites with Isaiah.

Public outcry over the incident leads to Anna Cook’s ouster. Jason is sent to prison for his role in the conspiracy. StemThrive acquires Vastgrow and begins producing a new brand of drone. Raising her newborn baby with Isaiah, Claudia continues to be a watchdog for public safety.

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Review:

I say the following not as an insult but merely as a matter of stage-setting fact.  “Hover” plays less like a traditional Syfy thriller and more like an “Erin Brockovich” drama that happens to have a mild science-fiction overlay.

In the near future, Vastgrow has made a market out of a massive food shortage by manufacturing planter drones to maximize crop harvesting.  Building upon that success, Vastgrow recently unveiled their new line of sentinel drones, which are capable of protecting personal property via lethal means using autonomous technology.

Euthanasia became another booming business in the midst of this global crisis. Claudia and her mentor John work for Transitions, a company specializing in assisted suicides.  With a wave of farmers inexplicably falling ill, Claudia and John find themselves facing a caseload they can barely keep up with. They also find themselves taking the first steps toward uncovering a connection between Vastgrow’s drones and a murderous corporate conspiracy.

Going in blind is generally an ideal way to experience a motion picture. Except in the case of “Hover,” knowing next to nothing puts the viewer in a hole because of how long the setup takes to turn into a plot.  Immersing one’s self in lukewarm fiction presents a challenge when one-third of the runtime elapses without clearly indicating which arcs are worth an investment.

The trailer shades “Hover” as a ‘killer technology’ movie, and that element certainly sees some play.  As already indicated however, the movie really functions as a casual investigative procedural with a made-for-TV tone.  It just ends in a feeble firefight against flying contraptions instead of in a courtroom.

“Hover” means well.  It’s hard to swipe at a socially conscious script threading themes of world hunger, environmental responsibility, and compassionate death.  The reality though is that these themes don’t gel into a solid, cinematic story.

Starting off on a ho-hum foot, “Hover’s” slightly futuristic setting falls short of being visually alluring.  Everyday items from door locks to cars are automated with voice commands and touchscreen interfaces of course.  But other than a quick cut to a holographic housecat or neon hubcaps, you’re not exactly transported to an imaginatively fantasized world.

That’s one reason why the main threats read as rather wimpy.  Hovering drones are basically black boxes with three circular spinners, hardly conveying a sinister silhouette.  There’s an evil corporate overlord in the mix as well. But prior to her third act confrontation with the heroine, she only appears in one or two brief TV clips. Without even a routine scene such as the CEO unrepentantly berating an underling or frigidly surveying an assembly line of dangerous drones, there’s no villainous flair putting personality into any antagonism.

Prominent protagonist Claudia also has a hard time clawing out characterization from substandard support.  In an effort to eke out some sort of development, Claudia acquires a sketchy new partner who doesn’t fully commit to being a friend or a foe, a love interest unaccompanied by a motivated romantic spark, and an unwanted pregnancy that the film seeds as an important conflict, yet neglects to sow into a resonant subplot. The screenplay by Cleopatra Coleman, who also stars, puts several such plates on poles without ever returning to spin them.

“Hover” at least capably covers filmmaking fundamentals.  Prolific genre indie composer Wojciech Golczewski contributes a Carpenter-esque synth score.  Simple cinematography from Stuart Brereton keeps scenery sharp.  The movie also features familiar faces that are always welcome sights to see, such as Craig muMs Grant from “Oz,” Fabianne Therese from “Southbound” (review here), Leo Fitzpatrick from “The Wire,” and Beth Grant and David Jensen.

Good intentions and B+ technical execution only waver a downward thumb’s orientation so far.  In the end, “Hover” doesn’t possess the entertainment factor to be engaging.  The film is cursorily interesting to the extent that surface scratches on exploratory ideas about morally problematic population management can be.  But exposition concerning equipment leases, product patents, defaulting on loan payments, and escrow arbitration are conversations better suited for a basic cable docudrama than high concept science fiction.  Striking out in three pitches despite a textbook batter’s box stance, “Hover’s” skinny-armed swing needs more time in the minors before it can compete in the big leagues.

Review Score:  45

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