Movie review - Universal

Universal ** (out of 5) Every once in a blue moon, two or more young adults can go to a cabin in the woods and not be besieged by cannibals, psychos or demons. Thank goodness! So long as threats to life and limb aren’t inevitable, city folk might still venture out into nature occasionally, thereby supporting rural economies. But such apparent safety is no guarantee of grist for an entertaining non-gory movie.

In Universal, writer/director Stephen Portland delivers a nerdfest of science and computer stuff, presented by a cast of three. Leo (Joe Thomas) and Naomi (Rosa Robson) are an overworked academic couple who vow to unplug COMPLETELY for a weekend to just stay focused on each other. He’s a geneticist on the verge of some big breakthrough in understanding more about DNA that could explain much of the universe and the nature of our existence. He’s also under pressure from his funding source to deliver something tangible ASAP; Naomi’s field is different, but close enough to understand his project. He’s been avoiding a persistent fanboy named Ricky, who claims to have helpful information.

Soon after arrival, their solitude is shattered when Ricky shows up. The fanboy turns out to be an attractive, determined young woman (Kelley Mack) with boundless energy and no sense of boundaries. Her social skills are severely lacking (probably somewhere on the high-functioning end of the spectrum; no mention of whether she was vaccinated), but her findings may significantly advance Leo to his pressing goal. Naomi resents the hell out of the intrusion that decimates their promise to each other. But Ricky’s urgency draws both in, making the computer analysis of her data the centerpiece of their weekend, and our movie experience.

Maybe I’m not the best audience for this film, since the science and its implications largely flew over my head. Every scene occurs in and around the cabin, as if it could have been adapted from the stage. The dialog-heavy script, with little visual variety, makes My Dinner with Andre seem like an action-adventure flick. The main source of suspense comes from Kelley. Is she really just a devoted scientist, or does she have some more sinister agenda? If they find a big breakthrough, will they agree on how to claim credit and monetize the results?

No more is possible without spoilers, other than the sad note that Mack died of cancer shortly after filming, making this her last on-screen appearance. Besides serving as a producer here, she brought an enigmatic sparkle that energized what could have been a total snoozefest. It’s a shame we won’t be able to see more from her.

(Universal is available On Demand as of 12/5/25)