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occupation rainfall
Image via Monster Pictures

An ambitious DIY sci-fi sequel that failed to prove if bigger necessarily means better fights back against an intergalactic streaming invasion

Your mileage may vary, but the intent is there.

Sci-fi sequels are virtually obligated to go bigger, but whether or not that proved to be the best move for Occupation: Rainfall remains entirely up for debate, although you definitely can’t fault the follow-up for its ambition.

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The opening installment was the definition of a passion project, with Luke Sparke raising the $6 million budget through investors in addition to writing, directing, editing, and producing through his own self-funded company SparkeFilms. Reviews were tepid to say the least, but Occupation was undeniably impressive on a visual level given its origins and limitations.

occupation rainfall

Pushing the boat out to a massive degree, Rainfall was over four times expensive at a cost of $25 million, but besides an increase in scope, scale, and spectacle, it felt derivative of a hundred better movies. Audiences have seen plenty of stories focusing on a dwindling band of human survivors mounting a last-ditch assault against their intergalactic invaders in order to safeguard the future of the planet, so there’s not really much narrative or world-building inventiveness to be found.

That shouldn’t detract from Sparke’s achievement, though, and seeing as FlixPatrol has named Occupation: Rainfall as one of the most-watched features on Prime Video’s global charts this week, there’s obviously plenty of genre aficionados willing to give it a shot.

There’s been murmurings of the third chapter, too, but as of yet it hasn’t officially been announced. The potential is there for a lo-fi trilogy that could realistically creep towards cult status, we’ll just need to wait and see if it ends up happening.


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Image of Scott Campbell
Scott Campbell
News, reviews, interviews. To paraphrase Keanu Reeves: Words. Lots of words.