- Director : Timo Vuorensola
- Actors : Aggy K. Adams, Liza Bugulova, Richard Brake, Tom Felton
- Language : English (Dolby Atmos), English (Dolby TrueHD), English (Stereo)
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- Aspect Ratio : 2.35:1
- MPAA rating : PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
- Product Dimensions : 5.3 x 0.5 x 6.8 inches; 2.72 ounces
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Blu-ray, Subtitled
- Run time : 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Release date : January 20, 2026
If a movie
included scenes parodying the direction of modern superhero films, Altered
could pass as an unintentionally comedic installment. In other words, Altered
is such a bad superhero film that it feels like an intentional attempt to
lambast the entire Hollywood genre. Another way of putting it would be to say
that this dystopian action film has all the trappings one would expect from something
released straight to DVD/Blu-ray/streaming. I’m sure there are some audience
members who will find a reason to enjoy the type of spectacle this film provides,
but sadly, I was not one of them.
With a premise far
from new in sci-fi, despite some modern adjustments for increased relevance, Altered
takes place in an alternate version of the world where society is divided by
class. Genetic enhancements have become commonplace, but those incompatible with
the procedure are considered a lower class of humans, treated with disdain by
the risen class of wealthy modified humans. Despite being disabled and incapable
of modification, Leon (Tom Felton) pushes back against the class-based society
by making mechanical modifications for those unable to make genetic ones. He
does this quietly underground until he gets pulled into a conflict while on the
job, forced to utilize one of his own mechanical bodysuits to fight back.
Partnering up
with a scrappy young woman named Mira (Aggy K. Adams), Leon uses his new
mechanically enhanced alter ego to fight against the oppression of the
non-genetically enhanced citizens, all while a mysterious industrialist named
Kessler (Richard Brake works on a method to genetically enhance everyone. This
leads to the usual twists and showdowns, complete with less-than-convincing CGI
and uninspired fight choreography. It doesn’t help that the protagonist
superhero is essentially a beefed up take on Poison Ivy, whose weapons never
seem able to incapacitate any of the bad guys.
Prior to taking
on the superhero genre, director Timo Vuorensola was best known for the Iron
Sky franchise, films that took themselves surprisingly serious despite
being about Nazis and dinosaurs on the moon. While Vuorensola has proved
capable of working within a limited budget, I would not say that Altered
(or the Iron Sky films, for that matter) are quality entertainment, unless
you prioritize campiness over quality. The Blu-ray release does little to hide
the quality of the effects, and does not include any special features to speak
of.
Entertainment Value:
3.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 3/10
Historical
Significance: 0/10
Special Features: 0/10
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