Communion
A troubled writer and his family confront terrifying UFO encounters while psychiatric investigation leaves the boundary between alien abduction and madness dangerously unclear.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- paranoid
- oppressive
- late night horror viewing
- ufo movie marathon
What critics said
Critics found Christopher Walken's committed performance compelling, but considered the film an uneven and overly literal treatment of its source material.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Whitley Strieber cannot determine whether he was abducted by aliens or is going mad, while psychiatric hypnosis investigates his memories.
The film focuses on personal encounters involving Whitley and his family, treating the alleged visitors as a private nightmare rather than an invasion.
The family holiday home in the forest becomes the site of strange occurrences, alleged UFO activity, and Whitley's abduction.
Dr. Janet Duffy attempts to discover the truth through psychiatric treatment and hypnotic regression.
Films like Communion, and why
Fire in the Sky
psychological alien-abduction horror centered on uncertainty, paranoia, and a possibly unreliable perception of reality
The Fourth Kind
intimate extraterrestrial encounter drama emphasizing fear, ambiguity, and personal testimony over invasion spectacle
The Mothman Prophecies
domestic psychological horror in which an ordinary family confronts inexplicable forces and destabilized reality
The Vast of Night
surreal, unsettling science-fiction horror using family vulnerability and uncanny visitors to create dread
Movie Details
- Director
- Philippe Mora
- Release Date
- 1989-11-10
- Runtime
- 103 min
- Rating
- 5.4 / 10 (197)
Cast
- Christopher Walken
- Lindsay Crouse
- Frances Sternhagen
- Andreas Katsulas
- Terri Hanauer
- Joel Carlson
- John Dennis Johnston
- DeeDee Rescher
- Aileen Fitzpatrick
- R.J. Miller
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Communion about?
- A troubled writer and his family confront terrifying UFO encounters while psychiatric investigation leaves the boundary between alien abduction and madness dangerously unclear.
- What is Communion like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Communion as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Communion violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Communion as mild.
- What did critics think of Communion?
- Critics found Christopher Walken's committed performance compelling, but considered the film an uneven and overly literal treatment of its source material.
- Which films are like Communion?
- Films with a similar feel include Fire in the Sky, The Fourth Kind, The Mothman Prophecies, and The Vast of Night.
- How long is Communion?
- Communion runs 103 minutes.
- Where can I watch Communion?
- In United States, Communion streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
