Respond to these rapid questions in our Alone quiz and we will tell you which Alone character you are. Play it now.
A promising beginning to John Hyams’ “Alone” can be found in the first 30 minutes or so. Jessica (Jules Willcox) is packing up her U-Haul trailer and preparing to leave Portland, Oregon for an unknown destination. They’re in the middle of nowhere, no matter which part they’re in. Jessica is on the run from Something Traumatic, as is the case with all of the protagonists in this type of film. Because she had planned to leave a day earlier than expected, her father is concerned that she may have engaged in some sort of verbal sparring with her mother. The phone rings repeatedly, and when Jessica answers, Mom’s whiny nagging explains why she didn’t want a confrontation with her daughter. It doesn’t matter. Because Jessica’s plans are derailed, we will never learn where she was planning on going.
As it turns out, there’s a serial killer on the prowl. He’s a goofy-looking man with glasses and a mustache that looks like a push broom. A younger version of the Simpsons’ Ned Flanders came to mind, one who has done a great deal of wrong and needs to be repented of. You’d think the filmmakers went for a more everyday appearance to distract victims from his villainy, but the character known as Man in the credits (Marc Menchaca) never does anything other than act creepy throughout the entire film. His first in-person interaction with Jessica consists of him asking her where she’s going, engaging her in conversations unbecoming of strangers, and then pointing out that he was driving the Jeep Grand Cherokee that nearly killed her a few miles earlier when she attempted to pass him. I hope Jeep received a good amount of compensation for this particular product placement. I’m hoping U-Haul did as well, because when Jessica’s trailer develops a flat tire, Man arrives to beat her senseless, drug her, and kidnap her from her home. Jessica awakens in an empty basement room, which is conveniently equipped with a lovely beam of sunlight streaming through the barred-up windows, providing the perfect setting for her dream.
So far, so good for a psychological thriller. One of the few moments of suspense is when Man interrogates Jessica about the traumatic event that forced her to leave the country. When Jessica begs for her life, Man responds with the question “do you think you’re the first person to do this?” It’s the last time Man will appear frightening, which is a shame because the film is only a third of the way through. Thank goodness, we are spared any torture or sexual assault, and Jessica manages to get away from Man with relative ease. Jessica overhears a man on his cell phone talking to his wife and daughter, and she decides to intervene. Despite the fact that screenwriter Mattias Olsson is eager to embrace the notion that Man has a secret life, I’m not convinced that this is a compelling argument for me. In Serial Killer 101, on the first day of class, students learn about “dark, murderous secrets kept from their families.”
But you shouldn’t waste any more time and start this Alone quiz.
Any positive perception of the genre fostered by Hyams’ assured direction and pacing is squandered when the film introduces a second character, Robert (Anthony Heald). Stupidity pervades Robert’s character, as it does in all of the characters in this type of film. In the moments before he arrives, Jessica suffers a horrific foot injury while fleeing from Man, so I was expecting “Alone” to turn into a battle of wills between the two of them out in the big bad wilderness. Eventually, it does, rendering Robert not only completely superfluous, but also living proof that a good guy with a gun can’t make anything stop.
Alone Quiz
The dialogue that Man is required to deliver is abhorrent. When the film captures him monologuing while attempting to rouse Jessica from the darkness, his attempts at psychological torture come across as amateurish and paltry in comparison. It’s to Wilcox’s credit that she portrays mental distress so convincingly that she almost saves the scene in the end. I lost my suspension of disbelief completely when Man declared in the most monotone voice possible, “I’m going to get you, you delicious f—king b—-h!” …and that’s before we get to the deus ex machina helicopter and the climactic phone call that isn’t to the police, despite what you may have heard.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Alone quiz.
Despite the fact that “Alone” gives us little reason to care whether or not our hero makes it out alive, I have to give the author credit where credit is due: Jessica isn’t written as a helpless damsel in distress. Despite the fact that she makes a few questionable decisions, she is more resourceful and engaged than the average victim. Her character is shown to have the upper hand with a tire iron in one scene, and when she crawls away, she has the good judgment to take the tire iron with her. I laughed because I didn’t expect her to behave in such a manner. It demonstrated a strong sense of survival. Also, there’s an instance where, when given the choice between believing Jessica or Man, a potential savior sides with the killer solely on the basis of Man convincing him that Jessica is hysterical. Despite the possibility that my interpretation of the scene as a statement on patriarchy was completely incorrect, I appreciated the sting of the moment nonetheless. It provided me with something to think about as the film limped towards its conclusion, which I appreciated.
For more personality quizzes check this: Color Out Of Space Quiz.
