PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Due to circumstances beyond their control, two literal star-crossed lovers are forced to find each other after they land on Earth. Narrated by Russell Mael (lead singer of the pop-rock band Sparks) two aliens body snatch their way through Chicago. To blend in, they take over the bodies of any human they come into contact with and attempt to go about their newly inhabited lives while searching for each other.
The Becomers is the brainchild and fifth feature film of Zach Clark (White Reindeer 2013). Zach serves as the film’s director, writer, and editor. With a rather simple plot, The Becomers feels like playing with paper dolls. At face value, it’s an entertaining modest time, but there’s an opportunity to use your imagination and truly expand the story beyond what the budget can show. Another great aspect of the plot simplicity is how it sets up the opportunity for the audience to fill in character backstories and make sense of the freshly snatched bodies that the aliens have occupied. It has a layer of depth if you should choose to read into it.
Zach Clark has done a wonderful job of weaving social and political commentary throughout. Depending on who you ask, many of the scenes and scenarios that the aliens find themselves in could be metaphors for the struggles of love, identity, politics, and immigration. For the most part, nothing is explicitly beaten over the audience’s head, except for a less nuanced final act. For example, the overall film could be seen as something simple like two aliens trying to find each other on a new planet. It could also be seen as a story of two immigrants escaping their failing country and struggling to find each other all the while trying to assimilate and lose their sense of identity. It’s up to the viewer to choose what the plot represents.
While the genre labels of science fiction, horror, and comedy make The Becomers sound like a cheeky body-swapping fright flick, it is anything but. It’s better viewed as a situational comedy-drama with a heavier emphasis on the drama. It tends to focus more on struggles of identity and longing instead of “ha ha” moments. The humor that is used is more straight-laced and situational rather than slapstick.
The struggle inherent with a body-swapping film with multiple actors playing the same lead is that there’s going to be an actor that stands out from the others. This leaves the viewer longing for a previous character’s portrayal when another eventually replaces them. The first act of this film proves this as the audience has grown attached to Francesca’s (Isaebl Alamin: Those Who Move Mountains 2020) struggles before swapping to Carole (Molly Plunk: Little Sister 2016). Carol becomes the main character as her story takes the most screen time. Molly Plunk is not a bad actress by any means, it’s just that Isabel Alamin’s portrayal of the same role was more endearing.
Regardless of who was acting, the overall acting is bizarre and off. This worked wonderfully as it helped to build the idea that the aliens weren’t only uncertain of their surroundings, but of themselves as well. Gordon (Mike Lopez: May December 2023) was the true standout as he played his part well with an awkward and almost alien-esque energy.
Due to the film’s micro-budget, the effects are not the most visually advanced. The main effect throughout The Becomers is the use of glowing fluorescent eyes that not only signifies that a human is being occupied, but it’s also an effectively simple way to show exactly which alien is who through the use of color. The effect is straightforward, but it injects a nice visual flair that clashes with the traditional look of Middle America. Once seen in full, the creature designs appear to be nothing more than an interpretation of Grimace if he decided to jump into a vat of acid and singe all of his hair off. While it seems like it would be a negative to have an alien body-swapping film with limited and simple effects, it works as a blend of the simplicity of modern-day life for the aliens and the world they inhabit.
The Becomers is a joy to watch as it takes the heart of a mumblecore film and adapts it into a more streamlined viewing experience with a sci-fi twist. Even if you are only into viewing films of shock and gore, it’s highly recommended to give this film a shot. Zach Clark has created a large world in a small package that is waiting to be abducted and dissected by its audience.
