''Parallel'' is a 2024 American

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

directed by Kourosh Ahari and written by the brothers Aldis and Edwin Hodge with Jonathan Keasey. Besides the Hodges, the film also stars

Danielle Deadwyler Danielle Deadwyler (born May 3, 1982) is an American actress. She began her career as a theatre actress in Atlanta, Georgia. Deadwyler then transitioned to film and television roles and made her screen debut in the 2012 drama film '' A Cross to ...

as a grief-stricken woman who mysteriously finds herself navigating between parallel spaces. It is a remake of the 2019 Chinese film ''Parallel Forest'' by Lei Zheng. ''Parallel'' was released by Vertical on February 23, 2024.

Plot

In a house in the woods, Vanessa is looking through the window when suddenly she is startled by a bird hitting the glass. Vanessa comes out to look at the dead bird and her husband Alex joins her, trying to hold her hand to comfort her. Vanessa walks away from him. Later Vanessa tells Alex and his brother Martel that last night she heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion coming out of the forest. Martel talks about a facility in the forest which was rumored to have weird experiments happening inside. People used to go missing thus the facility shutting down and now the forest is supposed to be claimed as a preservation. However, Alex thinks it was a story made up by their dad who abandoned them. Martel thinks their dad was searching for something but Alex dismisses the idea. Then Vanessa decides she needs time alone and gets ready for a walk in the forest. Martel gives her a rifle to fight any wild animals and casually asks if the couple has decided to sell the house yet. Alex replies that they are still thinking about it but Vanessa is against it which triggers an argument that makes Vanessa leave in a huff. Alex follows her and explains to her his brother is just trying to help them move on, only Vanessa asks Alex he wishes she had died.

Cast

as Vanessa * Aldis Hodge as Alex * Edwin Hodge as Martel

Production

In May 2021, it was reported that Aldis Hodge and his brother Edwin Hodge would write and star in a remake of the 2019 Chinese film ''Parallel Forest'', with Kourosh Ahari set to direct. In June 2022,

signed on to star and to act as the film's executive producer.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

began in

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

later in June 2022.

Release

In April 2023, Vertical Entertainment acquired the film's worldwide distribution rights. ''Parallel'' was released in the United States on February 23, 2024.

Reception

Rachel Leishman from ''

The Mary Sue Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, and author. He is currently the host of '' On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz, and ''The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law'' on SiriusXM's P.O.T.U.S. cha ...

'' gave the film a positive review writing: "While the plot of ''Parallel'' can get complicated if you think too deeply about it, the film (written by Hodge and his brother and co-star Edwin Hodge alongside Jonathan Keasey) shines in the performances that Deadwyler and Aldis and Edwin Hodge bring to this family. Kourosh Ahari’s simple direction lets us focus on what we want to believe in Vanessa’s quest to make it back to her original timeline."

References

External links

* * *{{Rotten Tomatoes 2024 films 2024 science fiction films 2024 thriller films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s science fiction thriller films American remakes of foreign films American science fiction thriller films English-language science fiction thriller films Films about grief Films about parallel universes Films shot in Vancouver Remakes of Chinese films Science fiction film remakes Vertical (film company) films