| Oregonda | |
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| Directed by |
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| Screenplay by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Eric Shook |
| Music by |
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Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100,000 |
Oregonda is a 2023 American independent science fiction film. The film was written and directed by Eric Shook and Leanne Johnson, and stars Leanne Johnson, Eric Shook, Jeff Angel and Kevin Wallace, with Jonni Shandor. [1] [2] The film is about an elite military reconnaissance squadron assigned to Star Force Galactic command to obtain information from alien laboratory located behind enemy lines.
Oregonda was released online on January 10, 2023, followed by a theatrical release by Westfield Entertainment on May 16, 2023. The film received generally positive reviews. [3] [4] [5]
Star Force Galactic Command is battling to protect earth's solar system from the ruthless Draconian when intel is obtained of a bioweapon that could destroy humanity. Despite ongoing repairs, the spacecraft Oregonda must leave port from the command ship Nastron and travel into enemy territory to retrieve evidence of the weapons existence before it's too late. Piloted by the tenacious Captain Leila Collins (Leanne Johnson) and commanded by headstrong Major Remus Hughes (Eric Shook) the Oregonda embarks on a reconnaissance mission of action, adventure, and intrigue in order to turn the war and save the world.
The theme song to Oregonda was composed by Eric Shook in 2018 and registered as a copyrighted musical film score as "OREGONDA THEME STAR FORCE" on September 18, 2020, with the U.S. Copyright Office later being mixed and played by Brianna Tam on an electric cello in 2022. [7] [8] [9]
The film premiered at the Eagles Theatre in Wabash Indiana June 16, 2023". [10]
A Rotten Tomatoes critic review from the independent critic Richard Propes makes the statement that Oregonda possesses an undeniably retro vibe that is so strong I half expected red shirts to show up. Early Star Trek is always around the cinematic corner here, partly out of budgetary necessity and mostly out of a deep love for classic sci-fi by both Johnson and Shook. Unsurprisingly, Oregonda is at its best when its focus is on the duo of Shook and Johnson. The two possess a rather delightful chemistry that is always fun to watch. A review by Simon Appleton from The Movie Mosustach said "Oregonda's intriguing (but likely, realistic) lack of hope or optimism allows the movie to keep you guessing until the very end, making it a rather engaging adventure into outer space. Filmnet gives a 4.5 out of five rating saying the use of emotion across the narrative is crucial in what allowed the high-concept sci-fi story work so effectively. It created a human element and a sense of familiarity that kept things real. This is something a lot of science fiction, especially bigger-budget projects, tends to get wrong. Indonesian film reviewer Tinton Obot from Fakta comments with from the story built by Eric Shook and Leanne Johnson, this film will be very exciting to watch. [11] [12] [13] [14]