Summary and Commentary by Film Critic's Journal
In 2025, the cult classic horror-sci-fi hybrid The Visitor returns with a terrifying and mind-bending sequel titled The Visitor: Awakening. While the original film (1979) was known for its bizarre narrative blending science fiction, religion, and supernatural horror, the new installment builds upon its surreal legacy while introducing a darker, more emotionally grounded storyline for a modern audience.
Set 40 years after the events of the original, the story follows Rachel Collins, a struggling psychologist who inherits her estranged uncle's remote Georgian estate. There, she discovers tapes and journals documenting a mysterious boy named Raymond—an alleged vessel for a cosmic force. As Rachel unravels the strange history of her family and the mansion, she starts experiencing disturbing visions and dreams. Her patients begin to act strangely. Birds fall from the sky. Technology fails. And then... he comes.
The Visitor has returned—not as a single being, but as a collective force inhabiting minds, reshaping memories, and preparing Earth for something greater. As reality begins to twist around her, Rachel must face not only an ancient alien intelligence but also the darkness buried in her own mind.
Directed by Ari Aster (a speculative choice), the film takes a slow-burn psychological horror approach. The pacing is deliberate, building tension through eerie silence, fragmented imagery, and symbolic hallucinations. Unlike typical sequels, The Visitor: Awakening doesn’t rely on jump scares or CGI monsters. Instead, it focuses on psychological breakdown and cosmic horror, exploring themes of fate, inherited evil, and human insignificance in the universe.
The film is a bold reimagining that doesn’t try to explain everything—thankfully. Like Annihilation or Under the Skin, it trusts the viewer to absorb the atmosphere and draw their own conclusions. The return of the Visitor as a metaphysical force rather than a single alien antagonist is both chilling and smart, offering a fresh layer of philosophical depth.
Some may find its ambiguity frustrating, but The Visitor: Awakening excels in creating a haunting, cerebral experience. The cinematography is dreamlike, often surreal, and the sound design—a mix of whispers, reversed voices, and distant static—adds to the sense of dread.
Overall, this new chapter honors the chaotic mystery of the original while evolving into something more emotionally resonant and thematically rich. It's not for everyone—but for those who seek thought-provoking horror that lingers long after the credits, The Visitor: Awakening is a welcome return of the unknown.
