Descendent (2025)

In Descendent, school security guard Sean Bruner RossMarquand and his wife Andrea SarahBolger, who are expecting their first child, are trying to build a stable life in Los Angeles. Sean is still haunted by the trauma of losing his mother at birth and his fathers suicide, which drives him to work hard and protect his family. One night during a shift, he witnesses a strange beam of light in the sky-shortly afterward, hes in a hospital, injured and unable to explain it. He soon starts producing intense, surreal drawings of extraterrestrials and harsh desert scenes that feel too vivid to dismiss as mere dreams. His mind unravels as the boundaries between reality and imagination warp. He becomes convinced that he and by extension his wife and unborn child are under threat from forces beyond his comprehension. In an effort to shield them, he borrows a gun from a friend, an act fueled equally by paternal instinct and rising fear . Meanwhile, Andrea struggles to reach him, torn between love, worry, and her own vulnerabilities. As Seans behavior grows more erratic, the couples relationship strains under the weight of isolation and obsession. The film builds on themes of fatherhood anxiety, mental health, and grief, using scifi imagery to reflect Seans internal collapse. Tension escalates without tipping into full-blown scifi horror, keeping the source of Seans visions ambiguous-are they evidence of alien abduction, or manifestations of trauma The stakes heighten as the due date nears will Sean manage to stay present and protect his family, or will his unraveling mind undo them all The result is a tight, emotionally driven thriller that leans into character first and spectacle second, with Marquands performance capturing the fear of becoming a father while wrestling with forces he cant explain.