What do you think is more jarring: getting walked out on by your deadbeat dad, or becoming a forensic anthropologist that the cops come to 36 years later after they find his freakishly preserved corpse next to two mutilated bodies? Both sound like a lot to cope with, but unfortunately, neither occurrence ends up being the worst day of Meg’s (Deborah Ann Woll) life.
That’s the long and short of the foundation for the plot of The Cycle from Jordan Downey (ThanksKilling, The Head Hunter), but it’s far from the full story. Meg has plenty more surprises waiting for her on the horizon, all of which will test her limits and forensic science as she and her team currently understand it.
Woll’s performance is central to The Cycle's success, especially in the first half. Part police procedural, part creature feature, the viewer’s patience for the build to the film’s primary reveal rests almost wholly on her shoulders. You’ll likely see plenty of conversation about The Cycle’s pacing and whether the first half fits with, or makes the second worthwhile, but Downey and co-writer (as well as cinematographer) Kevin Stewart’s script is relatively thoughtful in this regard.
The Cycle is not trying to be two films in one. Instead, our perception of the world and what’s possible within it shifts along with Meg’s. That doesn’t work without Woll’s sympathetic, relatable take on everything unfolding around her. Early on, she performs a panic attack so believable that I felt my own chest tightening.
While that performance remains integral throughout the film, the second half's accolades rest squarely on the shoulders of the makeup and VFX departments. As science-based answers run out, all that remains is the supernatural. It’s here that Downey’s film really starts to sing, offering a fresh take on a creature we’ve seen hundreds of times throughout the history of cinema and looking damn good while doing it. Transformations, for whatever creature they may be, are exceptionally hard to pull off. That a smaller project was able to accomplish them with a limited budget isn’t just noteworthy; it’s incredible.
That’s not to say The Cycle’s budget — assumed to be on the smaller side, whatever the specifics may be — isn’t felt from time to time. A creature that looks as good as theirs is a feat in itself; showing that creature in motion is a different hurdle entirely. We do see it move, and some of its running sequences are passable. But any action involving the monster quickly devolves into shaky cam nonsense that, while understandable, still looks bad.
Though the direct fight scenes with the creature are rough, there are only a couple. Instead of a third act marred by constant jostling, Downey and Stewart opt for close encounters that keep the conflict tense and resolve it through human trickery. The monster’s presence is frequent, but the final battle is decided by smarts vs. an all-out brawl (which will make sense once you see the size and strength of that bad boy).
Those smarts aren’t just attributed to Woll’s Meg, either. The Cycle is graced by strong performances all around, but Jeffrey Donovan’s Marks (a cop) and Danika Golombek’s Katie (Meg’s assistant) are each essential to the film’s success. Allow me to be reductive for a moment so we don’t spend too much time listening to me wax poetic over supporting characters: Marks is the muscle, Katie’s the emotional support. They’re both much more, but you should check out the film to find out why.
Downey’s The Cycle is one of the most competent creature features we’ve seen in a long time. It’s also scrappy, which is icing on the cake, but those accolades don’t come with the “for its budget” asterisk. Indeed, The Cycle punches above its weight class in every aspect, save the shaky cam we see used several times in the third act. The pacing might be a barrier for some, but I highly recommend offering the benefit of the doubt and going on the ride with Meg as her perception of what’s possible in our world shifts to include the fantastical.
