Netflix has an impeccable collection of sci-fi films and thrillers that range from very popular titles by Stanley Kubrick and Steven Spielberg to some underrated ones. However, there is one underrated Australian sci-fi film that deserves your immediate attention.
Luke Sparke’s 2020 sci-fi battle film Occupation Rainfall is a sequel to his 2018 film Occupation.
Set two years after the devastating intergalactic invasion of the earth, the Australian survivors in Sydney are putting up a desperate fight amidst raging casualties. When the resistance and their allies begin to lose hope, they suddenly chance upon a plot that can bring the war to an ultimate end.
While the alien invaders are viciously trying to make the earth their new settlement, the humans must race against time to save mankind.
The film is a good space opera coupled with philosophical and existential questions regarding morality, humanity and what being ‘human’ actually entails. It also explores the concept of the Other pretty well, by demonstrating the fear, paranoia and anxiety caused by the latter’s presence.
While the Australian setting might make one mistake the film for an indie sci-fi film, it is as powerful and visually enticing as a Tom Cruise or Bruce Willis film. Starring Star Wars actor Temeura Morrison alongside Ken Jeong from Community and Jason Isaacs from Harry Potter, the film is a compelling watch.
After involving Morrison, the film has been compared to the illustrious Star Wars. The film’s whopping $25 million budget was due to the involvement of the artists from The Last Jedi who worked on the special effects.
Unlike other sequels, the film is even better than its 2018 predecessor. According to Sparke, “I said to everyone, this time I’m going to write something big.” Being an optimist, he told his team, “And don’t worry, we’ll figure it out after I write it just how we’re going to actually achieve it.”
After Occupation became a success on Netflix, Sparke had imagined the sequel to be equally successful. “Everywhere I went with an audience, everyone seemed to have a good time. Which a film like this is all about,” said a proud Sparke.
If you want to watch something new, exciting and riveting, this Australian sci-fi film should be on your watchlist right now!
