5 Galaxies Review: A Muddled Sci-Fi Anthology Collection

5 Galaxies is a new sci-fi film that’s now available on DVD and Digital. Much like this year’s Holiday Hell, the movie is a collection of shorts that allow a team of filmmakers to play in this realm and tell their own stories across various time periods and settings. For example, one is set in a contemporary future where a man wrestles with his responsibility to help an overpopulation crisis by killing himself at age 40, while another is set in a Phillip K. Dick-inspired word where a criminal is in possession of a face-shifting device. This all sounds rather interesting, but unfortunately it doesn’t make for the most engaging watch. 5 Galaxies is a muddled lineup of sci-fi shorts that struggles to live up to whatever intriguing potential they may have on-paper.

The biggest issue with the film is a painful disconnect between the five shorts. Unlike Holiday Hell, there’s no framing device that ties all of the vignettes together, so the complete picture has a random feel to it, rather than being a cohesive work. Additionally, the shorts themselves feel incomplete – almost as if they are individual acts pulled out of a longer feature (or a proof-of-concept demo for a full movie). Many of them lack either the necessary setup to help certain emotional beats land or a proper resolution. Too often, the shorts will frustratingly end just as things really start to get interesting and present a challenge for the characters, which can be maddening for the viewer. If the directors had more time to flesh things out, there might have been some fascinating works here, but instead some of the shorts feel inconsequential and unsatisfying.

Sadly, the material doesn’t do any of the actors favors, as much of the cast is given little to work with. To be fair, the ensembles of all the shorts try their best, but there’s only so much they can do. Impressively, the filmmakers were able to land some big names amidst a group of unknowns (like Eric Roberts and the MCU’s Pom Klementieff), but 5 Galaxies ultimately feels like a waste of their high profiles and talent. Additionally, the writing leans heavily into tried and true sci-fi tropes in both premise and characterization (the post-apocalyptic survivor jaded by his experiences; a roguish bounty hunter with a tortured past, etc.) without bringing anything all that new to the table, which takes away from the viewing experience.

On a more positive note, the filmmakers do stretch their obviously limited budget as far as it’ll go. Technically, the production design and special effects work are impressive (especially considering the scope of 5 Galaxies), making things as immersive as possible. It’s in these elements the directors’ passion for the stories they’re telling comes through, as it’s apparent they had fun crafting sci-fi environments and wanted to take viewers to new worlds. 5 Galaxies might have looked a little hokey in theaters, but its release strategy of going straight to video benefits it, since any shortcomings in the technical aspects are masked on the small screen – be it a TV or a mobile device.

Ultimately, 5 Galaxies is a mishmash of various sci-fi concepts that doesn’t really amount to anything. What’s unfortunate is that any individual short had the potential to make for a relatively compelling feature-length genre picture, but it doesn’t work as an anthology. As presented, 5 Galaxies doesn’t have any real flow to it, and it’s difficult to recommend even to the biggest sci-fi fans out there. Perhaps someone might find something to enjoy if they were to cue it up on a rainy day, but 5 Galaxies – even for a low-budget film with small aspirations – will really struggle to stand out.

5 Galaxies is now available on DVD and Digital.

About The Author

Chris Agar
(5544 Articles Published)

Chris Agar is a news editor for Screen Rant, also writing features and movie reviews for the site as one of Screen Rant’s Rotten Tomatoes approved critics. He is a graduate of Wesley College’s Bachelor of Media Arts and Master of Sport Leadership programs. In 2013, Chris was hired to write weekly box office prediction posts in conjunction with the Screen Rant Underground podcast’s Box Office Battle game and his role expanded over the next few years. In addition to covering the latest news and hottest movie topics daily, Chris has attended numerous media events for Screen Rant, including San Diego Comic-Con, delivering content his readers care about. He credits Star Wars and Toy Story with launching a lifelong fascination with movies that led to his career, and now he has a wide range of cinematic tastes, enjoying the latest Hollywood blockbusters, Oscar contenders, and everything in between. Chris’ favorite film genres include sci-fi/fantasy, crime, action, and drama.

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