Few films can craft compelling narratives around a high-concept sci-fi premise on a shoe-string budget, with the exception of films such as Primer, which is a masterclass in sci-fi storytelling. Michael Mongillo’s The Changed hinges upon the premise of humans being essentially overtaken by extraterrestrials, a concept executed remarkably well by sci-fi staples such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Unfortunately, Mongillo’s film is nowhere close to these films in quality, lacking the conviction to pull off its goofy, underdeveloped plot. The Changed tries to breathe life into an overdone premise, but lacks the drive to veer it into fresh directions, and ends up being an utter misfire.
The Changed opens with rather confusing shots of a green, pulsating void juxtaposed against a person dreaming, which is, perhaps, the first sign of an alien species invading people’s psyches. Cut to Mac (Jason Alan Smith) having a conversation with neighbor Bill (Tony Todd), who seems to be acting unlike himself while emphasizing the fact that change is an inevitable element of human existence. He also leans in to kiss Mac, prompting the latter to be taken aback, but Bill laughs it off at the last minute, saying it was just a joke (this action holds importance in terms of the big reveal). Mac and his wife Jane (Carlee Avers) consistently feel that something is off kilter as everyone in their neighborhood seems fundamentally changed and acting quite out of the ordinary. Dismissing this feeling as paranoia, the duo go about their day.
Apart from the couple, their neighbor Kim (Claire Foley) also feels the same: being a teenager, she sees her friends act strange in school, which strengthens her belief that something is amiss. Things escalate when the area loses network coverage and emergency sirens go off while a broadcast on the radio warns residents to head to the nearest shelter for undisclosed reasons. These events develop without conviction or atmosphere, and although nothing unbelievable has occurred as of yet, the very nature of the dialogue and the awkward dynamic between the characters make the scenario wholly unbelievable. Jane, who works at the hospital, is harassed by her co-worker, who tries to kiss her out of the blue, and she storms back home, furious because of the incident. Kim is at Mac and Jane’s house, too, basically on her own now (her mother remains absent and her uncle lives far away), and the three of them chance upon a military broadcast warning that they should not trust anyone: humans are not who they seem to be anymore.
It is soon revealed that some sort of single-minded organism has taken over humanity, and is hell-bent on taking over every last one in order to “perfect” the human race and bring about a state of harmony. This, obviously, negates the idea of individuality and free will as the alien race is a hive mind aiming to erase what makes us human in the first place, deeming human flaws as imperfections that need to be remedied. The way the transmission or the process of being changed works is through a kiss — this seems to be the only way humans are taken over by the mysterious species. This, without a doubt, does not work in favor of the film, as the narrative lacks the confidence and requisite aura for pulling off such an outlandish concept.
The presence of Todd’s Bill, who wishes to take over the survivors by force, grants some semblance of agency to the plot, which is slowly ripped away after he disappears halfway through the film. In terms of themes, The Changed explores the ideas of human resilience and identity in an exhaustingly superficial way, with characters acting in ways unbefitting of the situation at hand. The conversations that take place, for the most part, are repetitive, reaffirming the same premise of being “changed”, wherein the survivors are asked to join the collective, so as to free themselves from the pain of human expectations, disappointments, and setbacks. This is executed in the most unimaginative way possible and adds virtually nothing to the already threadbare plot.
While Todd and Foley are obvious standouts, in the sense that they play their roles fairly well, the same cannot be said of the rest of the cast, limited as they are by the wooden dialogue and the awkward emotional setups. This makes everything that occurs in The Changed look like a sham, right from what should have been a jaw-dropping reveal to the death of certain characters, as none of the inhabitants of the film’s world are invested with depth or meaning. As the plot drags on without notable events or meaningful exchanges, it is difficult to care about the fates of the survivors, as they fail to establish a genuine connection to the audience, and even amongst themselves. The Changed is a poorly-executed alien invasion riff-off, bereft of any sci-fi elements worth delving into or relatable characters worth rooting for.
The Changed released in theaters and on-demand on March 4, 2022. The film is 80 minutes long and remains unrated as of now.
