Tacoma (2024)

-Written by Jon Mecca.

Tacoma is a film that displays itself as a thriller on the surface level, but ultimately diverts expectations upon viewing. Tacoma follows two ambitious minds, Leo (Asher Deva) and Alejandra (Karrie Martin Lachney) who are each troubled by their own personal traumas. Leo is a scientist whose aim is to formulate a serum that can regenerate the human body back to full health through his experiments involving plant and human stem cells. Alejandra is a restaurant server who also bears the scientific knowledge as Leo, and after catching sight of the formulas he is working on while sitting in a local diner, she lends him assistance in completing his formula. She then gets recruited by Leo and begins assisting him with his experiments. Alejandra’s motive to help Leo is in hopes that the serum they develop can help her disabled father. Leo and Alejandra both find connection and solace working together in the midst of uncertainty. It’s a story of two damaged people reinventing themselves in the process of working together to heal their respective traumas.

The main question that arises upon viewing is “how did we get here?” The film throws the viewer straight into a frantic yet engaging establishing scene, with the only clues to further context being brief flashbacks and dream sequences. A slow build up for nearly half of Tacoma’s run time and lack of a concrete exposition affects the film’s pacing, with the last twenty minutes seeing the most action and suspense, resulting in a final sequence that rushes the viewer. As for the motives of the protagonists, the viewer is left wondering if these experiments are for their own personal gain or whether or not there is an ultimate goal is sight that expands beyond their immediate needs. The antagonists Gene (Eric Roberts), Phillip (Joseph Stromberg), and their henchmen are not as menacing as they are set out to be until the very end of the film, which could be due to the lack of suspense and tension, and even with that in consideration there is little context to how much is at stake in the grand scheme of their motives.

What Tacoma tends to struggle with the most is its identity. While this film overall tends to fall under the science-fiction genre, there are instances of the film utilizing elements of psychological thriller and even the paranormal thriller genres, and at times those specific elements tend to feel misplaced. This lack of consistency makes it unclear what the film is trying to achieve. What this film is most consistent in and handles best is that it is a drama film that centers around grief and facing past trauma.

The cinematography of Tacoma is superb and aesthetically driven. The film primarily taking place at night allows for dynamic lighting and creative camera work, which sets the gritty tone and ambience of environments, especially with the use of a pale green color palette.

Although Tacoma has trouble with its slow pacing, fluctuating identity and lack of establishing depth, the film makes up for it in its stylistic approach and overall tone. The captivating characters, well written dialogue, and a strong cast are some of the film’s greatest strengths. When Tacoma is viewed through the lens of it being a science-fiction drama going into it, it proves to be a compelling and character driven story, and it is worth the watch for those seeking an engaging journey on ambition and healing.

Written & Directed by Jigeesh Magar.

Starring Karrie Martin Lachney, Asher Deva, Aylya Marzolf, Joseph Stromberg, James Ken Blackmon, Daniela Azuaje, Antonio Lujak, Michelle Castillo, Alejandro Patiño, Eric Roberts, etc.

6.5/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE