Wellwood review

By Mark Hockley

Newlyweds Nick and Laura arrive at their honeymoon home, Wellwood, knowing that Laura is losing her battle with terminal illness. Incredibly, on their first night there, an alien crashes close to the house. Nick attempts to use the creature’s blood to cure his wife. 

Where do I begin? The concept for this sci-fi drama must have looked promising on paper. The journey from page to screen did not go well, though. 

Camille Balsamo as Laura is convincing and sympathetic in her early scenes. However, once she finds out about the alien (kept locked in a shed), her characterisation deteriorates rapidly. It’s not really her fault, as she shows signs of being a capable actress. The fault lies almost entirely with the script. 

Reid Collums co-stars as her husband, Nick. Collums appears out of his depth, and his attempts at emoting are lacking in credibility. You could ask why he was cast in the first place. But there is a good reason for this. The fact is, Reid Collums wrote the screenplay. 

The only other significant characters are the local sheriff and his deputy (Lance E Nichols and Keisha Castle-Hughes). They do their best with secondary roles that seem tacked onto the main storyline. To be truthful, they are actually more interesting than the two leads. 

The creature effects are credited to Alec Gillis (working as part of a team), who is also one of the producers. His resume is impressive, having worked on Starship Troopers and Alien Resurrection among many others. Unfortunately, the FX in Wellwood are variable to say the least. 

Sometimes, when watching a movie you are left scratching your head. This was definitely one of those times. No one behaves in a believable way. Nothing about the way the story develops is compelling. Also, the actors are let down by dialogue that feels forced and illogical. 

Obviously, director Eliza Hooper has to take some responsibility for the many failings. The film does not have any tension or emotion. 

The real question is why so many people were willing to get behind this project in the first place? Apart from Gillis and writer/star Collums acting as producers, Balsamo and Castle Hughes are also credited in that role. That’s a true collaborative venture and there was clearly a passion for this project from the entire team. 

When so many people believe in something, it feels harsh to denigrate all of their efforts. But what can I do when what is presented on the screen is so dismal?