Review of the film ‘Stargazers’ (2026)

The shortest way to describe Stargazers is to say that this is the film that Steven Spielberg would have done if he was English.

The scenario is an English village surrounded by green downs. The time is apparently in the 1980s - we see ancient cars, wireless phones, vinyl records, disco dancing and primitive personal computers and videogames but no compact discs or mobile phones. Professor Alan Parker has been in the village for two years, working for a government agency by researching mysterious extraterrestrial transmissions from a nearby source he is unable to determine. His boss at the agency decides this lack of progress to be a failure, so Parker is ordered to move to Scotland in a matter of days. For his young son Jack, leaving the village where he has been living for two years is the end of the world. Together with friends Benji and Sadie, they make a last-minute attempt to try to find extraterrestrial activity in the village. Simultaneously, an extraterrestrial bounty hunter appears in the village, assumes the shape of a girl, and starts its own search amongst the humans.

This is a story told so many times by Hollywood, it feels refreshing to watch it told from another point of view - the differences from English culture are enjoyable on their own right. The story has attention to detail, characters hesitating, and a good comical side with fun dialogues. On the other side, it has a budget shoestring and all the usual defects coming from it: cheap special effects, a somewhat slow pace, and dialogues longer than necessary. The direction from Jonathan Brooks manages to make the most of the limited resources. Good cinematography from Jon Moy, that profits adequately from the scenic landscapes. And excellent music from Stuart Hancock, much in the John Williams style, making the spectator feel as if watching a Spielberg film.

Time to review the acting. Weak acting from Neil James and from the fashion shop clerk. Good acting from Leo Cropley, making a sober lead, and also from Gene Foad, Tony Way, Mollie Thomson and Jack Roper. Excellent acting from Lauren Cornelius, playing a credible antagonist. Brilliant comedic acting from Henry Richards.

All in all, a refreshing new take for an old story, but not going beyond entertaining because of its limitations. 3 out of 5.

Title:	Stargazers
Genre:	Science-fiction
Year:	2026
Nationality:	United Kingdom
Colour:	Colour
Director:	Jonathan Brooks
Writer:	Jonathan Brooks
Cast:	Leo Cropley, Henry Richards, Lauren Cornelius, Neil James, Gene Foad, Tony Way, Mollie Thomson, Will Stanton, Jack Roper, Ela Chapman, Linda-Jean Barry, Hadlee Snow, Christian Ridley, Molly Burgess, Henry Douthwaite, Bunny Maggie Grace
Producer:	Jonathan Brooks
Cinematographer:	Jon Moy
Art Director:	Suzi Lowe
Costume Designer:	Suzi Lowe
Music:	Stuart Hancock
Running time:	95 minutes
Language:	English