The scifi action thriller Incoming, released in 2018 and directed by Eric Zaragoza, features a well-known Scott Adkins along with other veteran actors. The film att (*misplaced comma) features intense hand-to-hand combat while integrating a story arc of terrorism, betrayal, and a blurry boundary between justice and vengeance. Incoming’s fictional retrofitted space station which is a black-site prison sets a narrative where the characters cannot escape, trust eachother, and make decisions without deathly conclusions.
Plot Summary
International space station was a representative for collaborative efforts made by scientists around the world. This facility is used as a classified black site prison and is only known by a handful of people, ISS holds the most dangerous terrorists from around the world. These men are deemed unfit to stand trial in any legal proceedings due to the nature of their crimes.
The narrative features CIA Agent Reiser, played by Scott Adkins. Dr. Stone, a medical officer with the duty of monitoring the prisoners’ health, accompanies them alongside Bridges, the shuttle pilot in charge of the detainees. Reiser’s task is simple: extract critical information from the prisoners, at any cost, while ensuring the station’s security is maintained.
Things take a turn for the worse when a group of prisoners, spearheaded by an ex-jihadist insurgent affiliated with a terror group known as the Wolfpack, execute a violent breakout strategy. They seize control of the station’s systems, cut all communication links with Earth, and threaten to launch the ISS as a missile targeting key cities below, specifically Moscow.
Reiser, along with the surviving crew, are in a race against time to stop the terrorists from turning the station into a potential weapon of mass destruction. With oxygen running low, systems failing, and betrayal around every corner, it becomes evident that the new goal is no longer survival—it’s averting a global disaster.
Characters and Performances
Adkins’ character is one of the most recognizable figures in the film; he plays Agent Reiser, a tough, emotionally distant operative who seems to lack any palpable code of ethics outside of completing the mission. With his background in martial arts and commanding presence, Adkins certainly fits the role. Even though his performance is rather stoic, it is compelling enough to sustain the required energy for a film that seems to revolve around action.
She is portrayed by Michelle Lehane. Dr. Stone is the medical officer, or the moral compass, of the mission along with being the second main character. Since she stands out as the only character, who most of the time advocates for compassion and reason, she begins to struggle more and more with Reiser’s violent methods and the dehumanization or otherwise humanity shown by the prisoners. Her relationship with him illustrates the ethical complexities of black-ops warfare.
Portrayed by Aaron McCusker, Bridges is the unfortunate victim pilot caught in the crossfire. While his character seems to lack greater detail, he does perfectly embody a critical puzzle piece in the survival, representing the everyman amongst trained assassins and ideological zealots.
All of the antagonists actually seem to lack more depth and originality, which is somewhat typcasting, but they are done sufficiently enough to keep the tension of the film alive. The primary terrorist is believable in his role within this high-strung environment as he displays cold-headed calculation and fervent zeal.
Thematic Breakdown:
- Ethics vs. Efficiency in Combat
One of the major themes portrayed in Incoming is the conflict of moral ethics versus maximal productive efficiency. In the case of Agent Reiser, one singular military covert operation demonstrates extreme efficiency practicality. Dr. Stone, in contrast, bears a more gentler view, thus bringing about a philosophical struggle which probes the question, “What’s the cost of justice in a system that is untamed?”
- Isolation and Paranoia
The psychological suspense of the film is primarily centered around an isolated space station that hovers over earth alongside the feeling of dread and anxiety. The claustrophobia of space corresponds intimately with the crushing psychological tension the characters undergo. The lack of communication, alongside the inability to trust the remaining systems, contributes not only to the external danger, but the risk of internal distrust as well.
- The Weaponization of Technology
Without a doubt, Incoming stirs up emotions related to technological weaponry and its consequences. The ISS, initially a base and tool of exploration and collaboration, gets modified into a prison, a torture chamber, and ultimately a weapon. The notion encapsulated in this film suggests that even the most benign technologies can be mercilessly transformed by ideologies or the necessity of politics.
- Loyalty vs. Betrayal
In the film, loyalty is tested among teammates, commanders, captors, and even captives. Trust becomes complicated with the blurring lines of right and wrong. The giving and taking of trust creates tension in the narrative even during slower moments of action.
Action and Cinematic Style
As is the norm with Scott Adkins films, Incoming features its fair share of brutal fight choreography, hallway shootouts, and close quarters combat sequences. The director effectively makes use of the station’s confined setting and stages action scenes in the ISS.
The film’s low budget is evident in multiple locations, especially with the lackluster special effects. The visuals depicting the station’s surroundings, including views of earth, movement of the ship, and even explosions are, at best, mediocre. While framed within the ISS, the set design is practical, although the polished look and realism of sci-fi made with bigger budgets is sorely absent.
A great portion of the cinematography features handheld shots and low light, which creates a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere. While it is helpful to the narrative, at some points it reduces the visibility of pivotal moments meant to feature exciting action. The editing is fine, but the rush with which several transitions are executed can lead to harsh cuts that disrupt non-linear pacing in the story.
Reception and Legacy
Incoming was received with mixed criticism upon release. Fans of Scott Adkins, for instance, enjoyed the casting choice and the physicality he brought to the film. In addition, action enthusiasts appreciated the no-holds-barred combat scenes as well as the fast pacing of the narrative. Critics, however, were not kind, panning the lack of a compelling structure to the plot, the predictable nature of the characters, and moral themes that were superficially explored.
Despite the film’s obvious shortcomings, Incoming has managed to secure a place in the direct-to-video and streaming action niche. The film’s consistent approach to storytelling in combination with a compact 90-minute runtime renders it easily digestible for military thriller aficionados and fans of action in confined spaces.
Conclusion
While Incoming may not revolutionize the sci-fi action genre, it certainly serves a purpose as a tense, hard-hitting thriller combining covert ops grit with space-bound suspense. Set in the morally complex universe, and with Adkins’ strong performance in the film, it succeeds in building a tightly contained story filled with conflict, combat, and consequence.
Though it falters in facets like character development and visuals, the film delivers enough intensity to please an audience seeking an uncomplicated action movie. It serves as a reminder that, in a society fixated on control and security, the greatest threat may not come from the external foes, but rather from the choices made within.
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