Under the Crystal Sky Review
‘Under the Crystal Sky’ is a black and white silent sci-fi film, following a Native American family as they encounter an extraterrestrial phenomenon and try to understand it. It’s directed by Matt Hartley, and stars Sewwandi as Alona, Jacquelin Arroyo as Ayita and Joseph Williams as Alo. Supporting roles are played by Jayd Swendseid as a Spiritual Elder and Sean Michael Whaling and John Walker Jones as military privates.
Making the film a silent movie and black and white is an extremely bold choice, helping it stand out from typical Hollywood films who have the full colour palette and sound array at their disposal. Sci-fi especially usually benefits from rich sound and colour, George Lucas’ ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope’ wouldn’t have been as impactful without the hum of a lightsaber, and the franchise couldn’t adopt the shorthand that red lightsabers are used by villains. But ‘Under the Crystal Sky’ proves that it’s possible to tell a story (that is admittedly a bit meandering) without either of these elements, which is a feat in itself. Film is a visual medium after all, and ‘Under the Crystal Sky’ reminds audiences of that.
This core decision not to feature sound or colour filters down to every part of the film. Characters for example can’t talk, so there’s no dialogue to explain who a person is, their relationship to others, and so on. Thankfully, it’s very quick to grasp the relationships and feelings of these characters thanks to their performances and Hartley’s direction to get the most out of the actors.
Sewwandi gives Alona so much life, with her carefree movements and eyes full of adventure. Arroyo by contrast gives Ayita a much more fearful feeling for her daughter, just by using her face and eyes. Eyes are the window to the soul, and ‘Under the Crystal Sky’ proves that.
Costumes are similarly affected by the decision not to feature sound or colour. They need to quickly convey as much about the character as possible, which is something the costume department achieves. When Jayd Swendseid appears as the Spiritual Elder, it’s quick to grasp that he is a much more important figure due to his more visually elaborate costume than Alo. This is reflected in the other costumes across the film.
Black and white doesn’t mean the film is just two shades though. A range of different greys are used to convey things like time of day and more, helping the audience understand where they are. It also helps switch up the visuals for the audience, giving some variety in what’s going on onscreen.
As mentioned earlier though, the story and plot of the film do feel meandering. The story is trying to tell two different things, there is the sci-fi aspect of the film and then a revenge plot is also introduced, and that takes the focus away from the sci-fi elements. The two don’t come together in a satisfying way, as there are long stretches of time without sci-fi things happening.
‘Under the Crystal Sky’ harkens back to the older days of Hollywood where sound and color weren’t possible. In today’s era, not using sound or color is an artistic choice, and one that is well realized. All the elements of the film are to establish a story that audiences are able to easily follow along, though it does meander.
