Cinema Review: Flashout (2019) is an out-of-this-world fun-packed romp

Flashout (2019), directed by Richard Lerner, is a smart, original sci-fi film that will make your head spin. Although it is from the director and producer of the cult film Revenge of the Cheerleaders (1976), this new feature is not just for those who enjoy the cinematic past of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In the story, three young women in a parallel universe play a blind date reality game, InterMate, in order to experience the euphoria of the Flashout. Unexpectedly, they wind up trapped on unfamiliar planet Earth seeking the missing player of their game. This film deserves credit for delivering an original story, interesting characters, and striking visuals.

The first impressive quality of this film is the unique, mind-bending metaphysical story. Richard Lerner and his writing colleagues John Powers and Wayne Weber churned out a truly outlandish contribution to the sci-fi genre. It takes the viewer a minute to grasp the concept of the parallel universe, let alone the broader notion of the Multiverse. When the three young women wind up on Earth, they encounter a jogger, a rocker, the owner of an escort service, and a radio telescope supervisor. All of these individuals are vulnerable to the ecstatic Flashout. As the young gamers navigate Earth, they are pursued by a Reality Repairman whose assignment is to preserve the Multiverse by destroying their pleasure-filled game.

The three main characters are Desa (Lorynn York), Iastar (Maya Stojan), and Lleva (Malea Rose). They are beautiful young women who want nothing more than to indulge in the hyper interactive reality game, but find themselves caught up in intergalactic chaos. It is the classic case of young women who want to have fun, but must contend with a looming authority figure wanting to shut them down. The Repairman (Jonathan Goldstein) is on a mission to send the players back to the parallel universe and seal the hole between realities before the Multiverse is altered forever. He takes his job extremely seriously and is prone to violent mood swings. It is clear that he will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission. The suspense builds as the Repairman tracks down the gamers, and reaches a climax in a dramatic fight scene.

This film has striking visuals, which really draw the viewer into the experience. For example, at the beginning, there is a picturesque desert landscape. The three young women suddenly arrive in the scene. Soon a jogger appears from the distance. He turns out to be the owner of a red Mustang, and provides much needed transportation out of the barren desert. Another memorable visual is the futuristic interior of the space habitat. Other on-screen environments include a hotel room, a space telescope facility, and a suburban neighborhood. There is lots of diverse scenery for the viewer to chew on. Even the Flashout event itself is an interesting visual effect as the unwitting victim pulsates and disappears.

Flashout is a truly unique sci-fi gem with comedy, adventure, and fun. The story is pretty far out there, and may be a bit much for some viewers. However, any awkwardness in the story is offset by the amazing visuals. This high concept production has everything from futuristic space habitats to gritty cityscapes. There are humorous elements too, as the InterMate players encounter various citizens of Earth. This is an impressive independent sci-fi film that genre fans should check out.