Dropa (2019) User Reviews

Call a rusty bladerunner a spade

[movieswithgreg · 4/10 · 23 January 2020]

Ok, here's the deal on low budget scifi/horror -- fans bend over backwards to praise them as they ignore factors they would not in any other genre which they weren't particular fans of.

This is a low budget scifi horror flick. That means mostly closeup shots, because all the other shots cost money. It means substandard actors. It means clunky dialogue and clumsy dialogue delivery and plot pacing. It usually means heavy amounts of ripping off better-known movies. Dropa has all the above.

Yes, this HEAVILY rips off Bladerunner. A fanboi would say it "pays homage." Ok, it does that. And not badly, either. But it does it, a lot. It's also a James Cameron homage, or ripoff, namely the Alien series. That's ok. It does it decently.

But the lead actor? Ugh. Acts like he came from porn. He substitutes intensity for a furrowed brow that almost never lets up. As if he has a 100-minute, uninterrupted headache. That's just not real. And worse-- it's just not necessary. And we have to watch him in almost every minute of this film. He's pretty and hardbodied, but since this is constant-close-up territory, we have to watch his face a lot, and that face isn't up to the task.

This movie's best feature? The plot writing. It does an above-average job of creating an alternate earth world (again, too much like Bladerunner), but it does it with thought. I can tell the best parts of this movie were left in the discarded script notes. It's nothing revelatory, but it's as good and occasionally better than many big-name tv series, especially standards like TWD franchise and similar.

Good movie, if you're having trouble sleeping, I guess

[rmarkd · 4/10 · 17 December 2020]

Dropa is a movie about aliens who were awoken by some nukes, killed off because of a virus, only to find out that 1) it didn't kill everyone and 2) the virus was engineered by humans to get people onboard to kill the aliens. Oh and I guess the main character and his wife were aliens all along. Shocker.

The concept was nice, but the execution just didn't work. About 15 minutes, I found my interest waning. About an hour, I felt the need to take a nap. Finished up the movie only because, well, I was already halfway done. Plot was unnecessarily convoluted, atmosphere was dark and brooding, which might have worked if the plot was better. Acting was the worst kind of bad -- wooden and dull. If it were at least campy, you could have had a bit of fun with that.

The "homage" to Blade Runner kinda worked against the movie as it telegraphed the ending twist.

Didn't like it, but I got a nice nap out of it, so that's a bit of a plus.

A review from someone who DID NOT work on this film.

[peterr-12 · 3/10 · 24 April 2020]

This film could be interesting and different, but the producers soooo wanted a blade runner rip off, that's exactly what they got. Right down to the monologing of the main bad guy (alien) in the end to the hanging from a precipice good guy only to be caught when he loses grip and falls. They even added the 80s lens flare blade unmet was famous for when industrial light and magic perfected the look inner and close encounters. Only this time the woman protagonist actually does the catching, literally AND figuratively this time. The shots everyone is raving about have to be the closest "avoid going over budget" shots I've ever seen. So close in fact you have no idea how our protagonist gets shuffled off that ledge at the end, or what clearly happens to the antagonist in the end. Depending on the blade runner cut you watch, you also get the nuanced tie up in the end. Not gonna sugar coat this one. If you're feeling nostalgic for blade runner and a sullen cop a la Harrison Ford, you'll get half that here. Not worth the time. The only way you know what's going on is if you've seen blade runner to follow the shot for shot recreation scenes.

Pure waste of time

[rburd-43301 · 1/10 · 4 July 2020]

Terribly acted, poorly directed and edited. This is MST3000 fodder.

A great movie

[breez612003 · 1/10 · 8 July 2021]

Yes it was a great movie if you want background noise while you clean fish or cut up onions. I kept expecting better acting or maybe special effects.

very much a wanna be, basic plot nothing great

[sage4676 · 3/10 · 1 October 2020]

This is a basic 'low budget' sci-fi genre film that uses most of all the sci-fi fantasies to make it a decent film. It is that, just decent so if you are looking for a great new sci-fi oil, look elsewhere

A very low budge sci-fi and it shows

[mrbreadtoast-06562 · 2/10 · 1 August 2020]

This movie has about $5,000 worth of special effects, if that. The casting is horrible, and the acting is just as bad. The movie takes place in an alternate earth, where America somehow became a Communist country. I'm sure that was somehow a political jab given the accusations flying about at the time this was released.

The plot developed slowly and was tedious to watch. It was basically a Blade Runner clone only with no money. Sci-Fi is my favorite genre, and I can overlook a lot of things if the plot causes one to think. The only thing I was thinking about was shutting the movie off.

Just awful

[nancysweeten · 1/10 · 30 April 2020]

I wanted to like this movie, as I'm a fan of the genre, but all of the actors are SO BAD, it makes it impossible to enjoy the movie. Jason Douglas was ok, but the rest of the actors are insufferably wooden and insincere.

Not bad - almost great

[billsoccer · 7/10 · 23 February 2020]

Ignore the bad ratings on this one - the reviewers mostly got it right. This is an entertaining sci-fi film. It won't go down as a great film, but it's worth the time spent watching.

Not really my thing.

[doktorwirefly · 4/10 · 9 December 2019]

I read the other two reviews here and what I did understand. I don't agree with. I found this movie unintelligent and boring with very little to redeem itself. The only part I really understood was taken right out of Ridley Scott's Alien. A reanimated android head. I expected more.

Thoughtful Sci-Fi Police Procedural With Depth

[jfrentzen-942-204211 · 8/10 · 6 December 2019]

In this brooding sci-fi police procedural, David Matranga plays Harrison (or "Harry," as he often called here), a melancholy cop in an alternate Earth where America has become a Russian outpost following a nuclear war, an apocalypse that also released previously unknown creatures, Dropa, from the ocean's depths that humankind subsequently almost completely wiped out. The "almost" is the hook on which DROPA hangs, as Harrison spends the movie seeking a renegade surviving Dropa (well played by Jason Douglas with an ironic Russian accent) that is hunting the killers of its species.

The movie's low-key atmosphere accentuates the noir-ish style of writer-director Wayne Slaten, who with each movie further demonstrates a fine command of the medium. His script's concentration on characterization over B-movie action adequately pulls off the ambitious alternate universe story, with its frequent flashbacks into the pasts of Harrison and the Dropa antagonist. These potent asides to the main action bring the somewhat muddy motivations of these characters into better focus. Visually, the Dropa's monstrous look is conveyed with welcome restraint, and the CGI views of a "futuristic" Houston (where the movie was shot) are also thankfully abbreviated and, therefore, more effective. Director Slaten accentuates the up close and personal treatment of the characters by relying upon tight closeups of his actors, further underlining the movie's intimacy. Those looking for a blown out BLADE RUNNER clone may be disappointed here, but the rest will appreciate the thoughtful plot-line, well written dialogue and decent performances.

Good plot, nice twists, nice camera noir-ish

[SlightlyMe · 6/10 · 9 December 2019]

It's a nice sci-fi, with occasional good cgi (and occasional not so good), the story is believable, in an alternative earth. The dialogue and acting can be a bit shoddy; the dialogue a bit too ambitious in places, the actors struggling to justify it. It's a B movie sci-fi, if you gonna be pedantic then probably not for you, if you just wanna waste time with a good yarn then give it a go.

Coulda been a contender

[drjgardner · 7/10 · 3 May 2020]

This film has so much potential it could have been a major contribution to the sci- fi genre. The plot is intricate and layered, teasing you along the way and revealing just enough to take you to the next level. Photography is wonderful and some of the acting is equally impressive. The time sequencing is also a big plus. But the film is uneven and for that reason it may not resonate. It's definitely worth watching.

Great Indy SciFi!

[jb-70140 · 10/10 · 10 December 2019]

This is the exact type of movie we all need to be rejoicing. Most Indy films are talking-head types that try to tug on emotional heart strands to make a name for themselves, Dropa throws caution to the wind and takes on the most expensive genre in great fashion. Sure it's not a 100 million dollar film, but would that money have really mattered in the long run? What Wayne Slaten and his team did was next to impossible today. To have the production value they had, not to mention any visual effects at all, in an Indy film of this budget it so rare, and yet they have managed to pull off a film that has the production value of a much more expensive picture.

Cheers to the Indy filmmakers! Cherish them. Without them, then we would all just be subjected to what a few suits in Hollywood want us to see. I gave this feature a weighted 10 because it has heart and was very entertaining to me. The people behind this film are super-talented and passionate and I can't wait to see what they do next, hopefully with a bigger production budget!

jb

Visually Gripping

[emmarainwelling · 10/10 · 8 December 2019]

I first and foremost loved the composition of the shots. I believe at some point an audience or in some cases a group of friends in a theatre decide how far they are willing to peel back the layers of a film to enjoy the time spent watching a movie. Dropa has plenty of layers and the shots help us not stick to just the surface plot but dig in and see what all the bells and whistles are hiding and in this film it's more bells and whistles but with more grit and backbone than we expected. The director plays his cards well by stepping close to his inspiration of Blade Runner without crossing over to the obvious. He proves the film to be a bow to the great film noir Sci Fi while offering something fresh. I am very proud to see this come out of Houston and every bit of it was worth my time to nestle in and watch another world come alive on the silver screen. Dropa is well acted the audio is very strong the story is read well but makes you want to pick up carrots on a second watch and all and all this movie is beautiful moving art thanks in large part to the D.P. composing and balance his subjects and allowing light to dance.

Hidden Indie Gem.

[IamRayKhan · 10/10 · 17 December 2019]

Typically you expect simple stories & simple plots. This movie seems to grip you from the beginning till end. Add it to your list if you truly enjoy sci fi cinema & want an extraordinary viewing experience.