Broadcast Signal Intrusion - FrightFest 2021

Set in 1999 working on archiving tapes of old TV broadcasts James (Harry Shum Jr) lands on a broadcast hack featuring a masked figures on a strange set. However the original tape is missing. Further investigation reveals that there was another and possibly a third hack (intrusion), though there is no evidence of the latter.

Complemented by a soundtrack that refers back to the discordant brass of the 70’s through jazz to electronica, James almost haranguing Dr Stuart Lithgow (Steve Pringle) an expert of the incident for leads, dives further in. The FBI and FCC both gave up on the cases finding no leads, make no difference as James, who follows up clues, however vague. Which starts to affects his day job and eventually turns into an obsession. It’s now that James finally starts to make some progress though others are interested as he’s being followed.

What could have been a one man drag through a mire of old tech an conspiracy is expanded by writers Tim Woodall and Phil Drinkwater when his stalker Alice (Kelley Mack) becomes his partner on the hunt. This sets up and interesting dynamic as the two banter with the mystery developing into something far darker than broadcast intrusions.

Beneath the sheen this is a good solid mystery and deduction thriller, with strange phone calls and stalkers. The sheen being director Jacob Gentry’s use of the camera to capture James’s deteriorating mental health as the film goes on. It’s slight factor that he’s in group therapy after the suicide of his partner who recurs in his dreams, giving the viewer the impression, he’s struggling with guilt associated with that.

The film never tires the viewer however at times if feels laboured and looks very episodic as James and Alice (for a while) bounce from revelation to revelation. It’s not in any way repetitive as the story moves forward just a little jarring.