DVD Corner

Watch The Skies Blu-ray Review

A strong cast elevates the all too familiar “Watch The Skies.” 

Written by Victor Danell and Jimmy Nivrén Olsson, “Watch The Skies” (AKA “UFO Sweden”) is a Swedish sci-fi film that revolves around Denise- a teen girl whose conspiracy theory father mysteriously disappeared. Since her father disappeared, she’s becoming a bit of a troublemaker (and a hacker) that lives with foster parents. After learning that her father’s car appeared alongside a red light, she contacts UFO Sweden (the scientific group her father belonged to). The group is made up of eccentrics including the leader Lennart, the grouchy Gunnar, Mats, Karl, and Tona. Denise and UFO Sweden look into the case which only gets stranger when a UFO crashes and gravitational anomalies are detected. Will she find her father or perhaps something else?

Director Victor Danell’s “Watch The Skies” certainly wears its influences on its sleeve as the film plays like a cross between “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” (complete with lens flares), “Super 8,” “Interstellar,” with a touch of “Stranger Things.” It’s a well directed film that has a nice old school visual flair. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t bring much new to the table and unfolds in a decidedly clunky manner. The plot is littered with cliched tropes (a hacker, a foil from within the group, dropped clues) and features the most incompetent police you’ll ever see. We get it, the heroes need to face threats and have close calls, but it all gets pretty ridiculous in the third act.

The film’s saving grace are the two leads Inez Dahl Torhaug (Denise) and Jesper Barkselius (Lennart) who both give strong, credible and convincing performances. The 2 characters really drive the narrative and the plotline of Lennart essentially becoming a father figure to Denise is effective. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. How does it look? Expect a crisp hi-def transfer.

Audio Track: English and Swedish (?) 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? This Blu-ray release is sure to be controversial (and for good reason). XYZ Films has decided to put an English version front and center, but it’s not just dubbed. Instead, the company Flawless has created an AI dub that makes it appear as if the Swedish cast is speaking in English. It’s an absolutely disgraceful choice and it’s worse than it sounds. Thankfully, the original Swedish version is available here under the bonus features. It’s unclear if the Swedish track is in 5.1 too, but it appears to be. This is the ONLY way to watch the movie. 

Extras include “Watch The Skies” in Swedish, a trailer, a filmmaker testimonial about the atrocious AI English cut, a Flawless Sizzle Reel, and a featurette titled “The Real UFO Sweden: A Look At The Group Who Inspired The Film.”

December 8, 2025 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Sci-fi, Swedish Cinema, UFO Sweden, Watch The Skies Blu-ray Review