From Steven Spielberg’s 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind to Ridley Scott’s 1979 Horror Sci-Fi classic Alien, films about extraterrestrials have inspired some of the most terrifying nightmares. Of course, some say parenthood makes more nightmares. However, combining both might be the ultimate nightmare of the century.
Alien abductions have been plaguing the people of America and the entire world for centuries…so has parenthood…Though many discuss their anxieties and fears of alien abductions consistently, it is the fears and anxieties of parenthood that seem to fall to the wayside in discussions. This does not mean that one cannot interpret the concerns of parenthood. Yet, Peter Cilella (more known for his acting skills in films such as 2012’s Resolution and 2015’s Contracted: Phase II) is determined to interpret these feelings in his own way, with a supernatural twist in the film Descendent. In this directorial debut, Cilella explores the idea of an alien abduction of an expectant father.
Hitting select theaters on August 8, 2025, and available widely on VOD starting August 15th through RLJE Films, Descendent is bound to capture people’s attention. Following Sean, an LA school guard who is struggling not only with his past but also with the everyday challenges of adulthood. After an accident, in which he fell off a roof during a lightning storm, Sean begins to fight back the demons of his past and the tragedy that unfolded as a child. Experiencing mysterious lights in the sky and visions of what seem to have been an alien abduction, Sean is forced to face his traumatic past to move forward.
Starring Ross Marquand (The Walking Dead series, Invincible series) as Sean, he gives the performance of a lifetime in this dramatic Sci-Fi Drama. Marquand portrays the soon-to-be father Sean, who was adopted by his best friend’s parents at the age of seven after his father committed suicide. Sean is just a simple man trying to live a simple life with his beautiful wife, Andrea (Sarah Bolger: The Spiderwick Chronicles 2008, The Lazarus Effect 2015).
The story begins with a simple check-up at the doctor’s office, where Sean’s boss’s text is more enticing to him than what is going on with his wife’s pregnancy. Although this makes him seem less involved in his relationship, the following few scenes in the film show that the couple is a loving and happily married pair. It is not until Sean begins to experience lights in the sky that things start to change for him.
However, it is the night of the accident that sets things in motion. Moving forward, after waking up in the hospital with gaps in his memory and flashes of visions that seemed to have happened, Sean begins to sense that something is not right. As the visions become stronger and stronger, Sean starts to have trouble distinguishing between what is real and what is not. With that in mind, some of his senses seem to be heightened, allowing him to hear people’s footsteps from a distance with what sounds like an AM radio channel frequency. Of course, Sean has also picked up a new hobby…drawing. This plays a big part in his traumatic experience.
The emotional moments in Descendent are phenomenal and connect the audience with Sean. The traumatic scenes take a toll on one as they are sitting on the edge of their seat, wondering, “Is this real?” Some scenes with significant moments are the scenes where his wife collapses in pain and Sean is non-responsive as if something is holding him back, and the moment where he is faced with his father and able to converse with him for a moment.
These scenes in Descendent show the emotional rollercoaster one goes through, not just in life, but also in their mental stability. This film effectively captures the emotional turmoil of not just an extraterrestrial experience, but also the emotional crisis of becoming a father, as well as the challenges that come with a couple starting their lives.
Overall, Descendent is a genuinely intriguing and altogether emotional rollercoaster. It is interestingly filled with enough Sci-Fi moments that keep the audience on the edge of their seats, and one asks themselves, “Why?” throughout. Worth checking out, Cryptic Rock gives Descendent 5 out of 5 stars.
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