Year: 2020
Runtime: 113 min
Language: English
Director: Liam O'Donnell
When a deadly virus threatens humanity, Captain Rose Corley leads an expedition to a distant planet seeking a potential cure. There, they encounter hybrid aliens who may hold the key to survival. Facing interstellar dangers and complex political alliances, the crew embarks on a desperate mission to prevent a catastrophic intergalactic event that could extinguish the remnants of Earth.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Skylines (2020), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Earth faces a catastrophic invasion by aliens, leading to harrowing consequences for humanity. A father’s mind is “harvested” by the extraterrestrials, who integrate his consciousness into an alien body. Despite his transformation, the father’s will resists, fiercely battling against the aliens threatening his pregnant wife. Amidst chaos and destruction, she gives birth during a fierce confrontation, with the child being taken in by a man amongst the chaos. Thus, Rose is born under a radiant blue light, which accelerates her growth and imbues her with extraordinary abilities. She harnesses these powers to liberate the harvested minds, known as Pilots, trapped within alien forms, reuniting families torn apart by the invasion.
Leading the human resistance, Rose (Lindsey Morgan) commands a fleet against the terrifying Armada, the Harvester mothership orbiting the Moon. In a tense engagement, Rose falters before firing at the enemy, resulting in a devastating loss, including one of her ships. In a desperate bid to protect Earth, she sacrifices another ship, ultimately destroying the Armada but at a tragic cost that leaves her overwhelmed with guilt. After the battle, Rose mysteriously disappears as humanity attempts to rebuild, while billions of freed Pilots now walk among them, distinguished by their eye color: blue indicates alien control and red, liberation.
Five years later, Rose lives in a tent city near the remnants of London, evading capture from resistance forces led by Leon (Jonathan Howard). To combat the aging process linked to her hybrid nature, she relies on hyper-oxygenated blood transfusions from her ally, Dr. Mal (Rhona Mitra). However, a catastrophic viral outbreak threatens the Pilots and anyone receiving transplants from them, including Huana (Yayan Ruhian), who lost multiple limbs while fighting the aliens fifteen years prior. The insidious virus consumes the Pilots, reverting them back to their compliant states within 72 hours.
After being captured by Leon, Rose learns from General Radford (Alexander Siddig) that the core drive from the Armada has inexplicably shifted to the Harvester homeworld, Cobalt One. This component is pivotal for saving the minds of the Pilots. Alone, she reunites with her Pilot adoptive brother Trent (Jeremy Fitzgerald) and hesitantly agrees to the dangerous mission to recover it, knowing Cobalt One remains uncharted land.
Upon arrival, a series of unfortunate events unfold as their ship crashes due to a collision with a Harvester vessel, leaving them stranded and grappling with dwindling power supplies. Accompanied by Trent, Leon, Owens (Daniel Bernhardt), and Alexi (Ieva Andrejevaite), they navigate the eerie landscape filled with deceased Harvesters and grotesque shadow creatures. Sacrificing herself, Alexi uses a pulse grenade to save the crew, allowing them to reach the Armada where Rose encounters the Matriarch (Phong Giang) who threatens their mission.
Through Trent’s encouragement, Rose breaks free from the Matriarch’s influence, coming into her own power and making the bold decision to seize the core drive. Betrayal ensues as Owens turns against them, infecting Trent before escaping with the crucial device, leaving Rose and Leon trapped inside the Armada. In a moment of shocking revelation, Rose and Leon discover Radford’s hidden agenda involving a biological weapon unleashed on Cobalt One, designed to eradicate the Harvesters but inadvertently triggering catastrophic side effects among the Pilots back on Earth.
Confronted by chaos, the Matriarch seeks vengeance, leading to intense confrontations aboard the spaceship. As the stakes escalate, Owens faces retribution while Trent valiantly fights to reclaim his humanity. Ultimately, Rose manages to transport the Pilots on her ship back to Earth, aligning with Dr. Mal’s urgent quest to find a cure for the afflicted.
At the climax of this tumultuous saga, Rose learns about a prison where Radford imprisoned perceived threats, including her and Trent’s long-lost father, Mark Corley. With renewed resolve, Rose sets a course to rescue him, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their relentless fight for humanity’s survival.
Last Updated: November 03, 2024 at 23:18
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