“Extramundane” is a thriller from writer/director Joshua Sowden, his only feature film to date. It tells the story of property manager Trevor Wilkinson (Brant Rotnem) during his first days on the job. Not only does he have to cope with dissatisfied and angry tenants, but he has to do it all during the time of COVID and social distancing. To top it all off, residents seem to be going missing, and Trevor has to put himself in mortal peril to find out the secret behind their disappearances.
This film was really a pleasure to watch. Overall, the acting was very good, and that goes for every actor in the film. The pacing was fantastic. It was slow, meticulous, deliberate, and intense. It had me from the opening scene, and the director built a level of suspense that carried through the picture. The film had an ideal run time, and the payoff at the conclusion was well worth watching.
Despite how good the film was, it was not without its flaws. The first thing I honed in on was the title. Just based on the title, I probably would not have watched this movie. I felt like it needed something more catchy to draw me in. The second thing that seemed lacking was exciting lighting. It was well-lit, but completely non-descript. A more dynamic lighting setup and variations in color patterns could have made the film an even more enjoyable, and cinematic experience.
The outstanding cast included the following:
Brant Rotnem has been in a number of productions, such as “Guys Reading Poems,” the thriller “The Spearhead Effect,” and the Tik Tok series “Hidden Canyons” (winner of the L.A. Outfest 2020 Audience Award).
Craig Gellis has an amazing 70+ films, and series to his credit. Among these are appearances on the television series “Charmed,” “Medium,” “Criminal Minds,” “Lucifer,” and “The Walking Dead.”
Brock Jones’ film work includes appearances in the series “Bite Night,” “Agent Carter,” and “Redacted.”
Cherie Corinne Rice’s credits include an appearance on the television series “Nurse Jackie” and the series “Nightcap.”
Tony Bartele has quite a few films to his credit, such as the horror features “Gnawbone” and “Gravedigger Dave’s Anthology Festival.”
Though there may have been a few flaws, they did not detract from the excellent acting, intense story line, and overall enjoyment of the film. I look forward to seeing Mr. Sowden’s future work.
Extramundane is streaming right now for free on Tubi or in higher quality on Amazon.
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