Search - Toxic Skies on DVD

Average Writing - But a Great Presentation

Compay | New Orleans, LA | 05/13/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Toxic Skies is one of those straight-to-video movies that is a step above most Redbox fare. For being a low budget film shot in Canada, this movie has great cinematography and editing. Kevin Blumenfeld also did a top-notch job with the movie's score.



Canadian director Andrew C. Erin doesn't have many movies under his belt, but he's definitely talented. I had seen his directing work before in Tornado Valley, only he's working with a better cast in this film. Anne Heche gives a solid performance as Dr. Tess Martin, a virologist struggling to discover the truth behind a deadly illness. Daniel Bacon also shines as Dr. Raj Patel, her friend and fellow physician.



So why give a film with a solid cast and great directing only three stars? The story is lacking. Toxic Skies cobbles a few elements from the movie "Outbreak", particularly why it becomes personally important for Tess to quickly discover a cure. On one hand, I give Andrew Erin credit for choosing such an original danger (chemtrails), but the movie isn't as suspenseful as it could have been. The film touches on an important motivation of Tess' physician work, yet never returns to it. There just seemed like great potential for backstories, or learning more about the two main doctors in general.



Toxic Skies is definitely worth watching once, before you decide whether or not to buy the DVD. With the cast and cinematography, I think it had the potential of a five-star film, if only the writing had been better. It's still an under the radar movie that's worth checking out."