“This film is a collection of recently discovered footage from a CIA archive as a result of the Freedom of Information Act…Everything you are about to see is real…”
There will be spoilers beyond this point.
Next is a recording of a semi-conscious young woman dressed in a hospital gown being asked questions from a doctor. The video is a bit distorted at times and a little hard to hear, but you can make out everything being said. The doctor hypnotizes her to find out what happened. She starts calm, but soon she begins to panic about bright lights, and the doctor is unable to snap her out of it. The woman stands up with her arms stretched out to either side and screams.
Those are just the first few minutes that appear on the screen for the movie Case 347. Thanks to TriCoast Entertainment, Nerds and Beyond was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to screen this film from them and Rotten Whiskey Productions for review.
The three lead actors had parts both in front of and behind the cameras. Case 347 was written, directed, and executive produced by Chris Wax (Black Box), who played Charlie Cara. Rex was played by Jason Kropik (Easy A), who was also an executive producer and the cinematographer for the film, and Maya Stojan (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) was the female lead Mia Jansen and an executive producer. The sci-fi thriller also features Julia Vera, Gabriela Garcia, Krista Allen, Richard Gilliland, Michael Glante, Edward Finaly, Shawn-Caulin Young, and Johnny Dowers.
Get ready to go on a journey about the controversy and conspiracies surrounding aliens, UFOs, alien abductions, and one psychologist and skeptic’s documentary to prove they are nothing but shared delusions. But the farther into the documentary the team takes us, the more unsure of what will become truth.
When first meeting Mia, you immediately recognize her from the opening scenes before. So, you know how it will all end but not how she got there. The documentary team of Mia, Charlie, and Rex head towards where one of the most well-known UFO conspiracy and incident happened in 1947 — out in the desert of none other than, Roswell, NM. Near there is also where Mia’s father, Dr. Thomas Jansen, has a house that was left to her when he went missing.
When they arrive at the house, she takes them to her father’s office, where he had extensive notes about alien encounters. It was an obsession of his to prove the existence of extraterrestrials, thus, giving viewers a bit more insight into Mia’s reasoning for making this her thesis and study. The group plans to use his research and recordings to back up their research and set out to interview the people her father found.
As the film progresses, they venture to another well-known spot for extraterrestrial encounters in White Sands, NM. They spend a night out camping and have a run-in with a creepy girl on the side of the road and other unexplained events. Then, while staying with a family, they document the odder things that take place, leading us back to Mia in the hospital.
Being a fan of conspiracy theories, mythology, and the unexplained, I was curious about this movie. Even though I am not a huge fan of “found footage” films, I still wanted to see it because of my interest in the 1947 Roswell crash and the belief that there is more than just us in the universe. I did enjoy the film overall, but the ending was a bit anti-climactic. Because of the long build-up to get to the conclusion and see what happened to Mia and the documentary crew, it is over in a few minutes. But after as I was going over my notes before writing this, it began to make sense. That is just like all the abductions and experiences the people had and explained in the film. It happened fast, and then they were left with more questions and lengthy searches. I am not sure if that was the intention, but when it ends, it leaves you wanting more of the story.
You can watch Case 347 on Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, Vimeo on Demand, and FLIXFLING. Watch the trailer below.