Phoenix Forgotten is a rather forgettable movie.

According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie received a 5.6 out 10 rating. It is based on true events about the famous ”Phoenix Lights,” an unexplained series of lights above the Arizona desert that happened in 1997, where many concluded that it was a visit from extraterrestrial life. Not too long after three teens go missing, many speculated that their disappearance had to do with the strange lights.  

The movie starts with the young teen Josh, played by Luke Spencer Roberts. He was filming his young sister’s birthday party when he sees the mysterious lights. Josh jumps to the conclusions that it is aliens, which is an idea he holds on to and refuses to let go of. He begins interviewing locals on their opinions about the lights. He stumbles into the young and lively teen Ashley, played by Chelsea Lopez. She is coerced by the idea of alien life visiting them. They decide to descend into the desert with their friend Mark, played by Justin Matthews, to further investigate this theory.

Twenty years after the teens go missing, Josh’s sister, Sophie, played by Florence Hartigan, who is seen in the beginning of the movie, is now full grown and pondering the disappearance of her brother. She begins looking into the case and the only evidence left behind are tapes. One is missing, the other gives no answers to what happened to the three. She goes out of her way to find the missing tape; it doesn’t take long. Somehow, she gets her hands on the missing tape, helping her understand what happened to her brother.

In the last tape, you see the teens on an adventure through the desert, where they drink, laugh and have an amazing time. They even catch the lights once again. But as the sun goes down and it is time to go home, that is when things take a sour turn. The teens quickly get lost in the desert.

The scenes of the kids getting abducted are deafening. It lasted at least three minutes each and the entire time it is ear piercing and annoying.

Asides from the sound of the movie being too much to handle, the movie was simply… okay. It was not bad, and it was not good. The idea of the unsolved alien lights having to do with the missing teens is an interesting idea. However, the movie left too many loopholes and unresolved questions about the alien visit. Perhaps if they had elaborated more on the after effects of the abductions, a look into what the aliens did with the teens bodies, it would have been more compelling.

The movie had incredible potential, but sadly did not meet up, the movie left you unsatisfied and with a slight ear problem.