At First Light (2018)

[warning bells]
[train horning]
[deep humming]
[loud ship horn]
[car sirens]
[loud low noises]
[car starting]
[Sean] Okay, hold on.
[Oscar] Are you really
selling everything?
Yeah. Need the money.
These are nice.
Thanks.
Do I want to know
where you got them?
Does it matter?
No.
[employee] How much do you want?
[Sean] Thirty.
[employee] Fifteen.
[Sean] Twenty.
[employee] I'll do twenty.
- Not that.
- Excuse me.
- Excuse yourself.
- Wait outside.
This is extortion.
Your mom had good taste.
Keep it.
Hey, if I ever see you in my house
again, I'll break your arms.
Yeah, I'll still have both
my legs to kick you in the...
Hey, asshole!
And tell your sister
to brush her teeth.
[Oscar] I could take in that guy, I
just needed like thirty seconds.
Now he'll just keep coming back.
[Sean] What did you
even do to him?
[Oscar] Nothing. Nothing.
[Sean] Yeah. Bullshit.
[Sean] Hit it, Robert.
Hey, grandma.
What'll t be today?
Another shitty
soap opera this is?
Or UFC?
Where's the rest
of her pills for this week?
I don't know.
- Oh, we ran out.
- When?
Sunday?
That was five days ago.
Why are you telling me now?
Does it matter?
It's not like they work.
Oscar.
I'll go to pharmacy tomorrow.
No, it's fine. I got it.
I've signed this.
And stop being a shit at school.
"Oscar's been involved in three
physical altercations this week".
Say "ah".
"He's been displaying behaviors that
are against our bullying policy.
Please contact the school
immediately to schedule a meeting".
Nope.
[Nathan] Sean!
Seany!
Man, get your scrawny ass down
here, come take me to this party.
- Give me a minute.
- All right. I'm coming up.
No, no, stay there. I'm coming.
I'm cooking down here, bro.
Uh...
I'm heading out.
There's some cash
on the kitchen counter.
Just order a pizza
and look after grandma.
Just you and me.
Hey, man, why you never
invite me upstairs?
It's messy.
- Where did you get the gas?
- Hey, don't worry about it.
Yo, the night
is going to be epic.
Yeah? We don't even
like these people.
They don't even like me.
True.
Bro, how about you just try to be
like a teenager for one night?
Then you go back to being
a single mom in the morning.
All right, now unlock the door.
Okay, bro, my bad about the mom.
It's fine.
No, no, you got to push.
- Are you serious?
- Yeah.
The starter's shit,
you got to push the car.
Whoa, whoa!
Hold up!
Starter, my ass.
[Nathan] What's going on?
That's a fun night.
Damn.
Come on bro, we're here,
baby. We're here.
Look at the drink stand.
What's going on, bro?
Hey! What's happening?
Snap.
You know they got drinks...
drinks over there?
Yo, give me five, all right?
Nathan!
[music fades and
soft music can be heard]
[party music and
indistinct chatter]
Yep.
She looks good.
[Sean] I think she's
with that Tom guy now.
- For real?
- Mm-Mm.
Nah, I don't think
that's official.
I mean, Chris Harris says he's been making
out with her every day after homecoming.
Really?
But you know we talk shit.
You know that guy talks shit.
All right, my man
is a professional shit-talker.
So, you... right? That
can't... that's not true.
She's... yeah, she's going
to... she's coming right over.
How is it going?
Can't handle the cool kids?
- I'm here for a refill.
- Refill.
Huh? You need me. I'm coming right
now, bro. I'm coming right now.
What's new? How's your grandma?
- She's good. Yeah.
- Good.
- It's so sweet.
- Yeah.
Yeah.
Actually she's not.
She's like completely out of it.
Most days she doesn't
talk much anymore.
Yeah.
It sucks.
Your stepmom?
Still a bitch.
- Is that real?
- Yeah.
Got it a couple
months ago. It's...
It means I'm the way
and the truth and the light.
Tom got one too.
That was like a two
for one thing.
That's cute.
Yeah. We thought so.
So, you guys
are like serious now?
I don't know about serious,
but we have fun.
You mean you have sex.
Jesus.
- Sean, really?
- So, yeah, I'm right.
Yeah, you're right.
Look, I don't know even know
why you would care.
You haven't spoken more
than two words to me
since we got off high school.
I get that you were
going through a lot.
Don't do that.
I don't want your pity.
That's not what that is.
I would have been there
in a second if you asked.
But you weren't.
Have a great night.
I hope that you're good.
Yeah. I'm awesome.
Bet you are.
Alex.
What?
Can't we just talk?
Like not here?
Will you call me?
I got a new phone.
I don't have your number.
Sorry.
Jesus, Sean.
Now you have it.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Road's waiting. You coming?
Have fun.
We will. Sweet to have you.
Do you feel it?
I feel butterflies.
It's okay. Just a moment.
[Nathan] Hey, yo!
Yo, yo, yo, yo. Yo, I need you to come and
introduce yourself again to this girl
so that she says her name again.
It's like the "Yeladarah",
but I can't...
I think I'm done.
- For real?
- Yeah.
Maybe it's written
in her underwear.
Genius.
Quite the mob.
Go home safe, alright?
I care about you.
Alex!
Alex!
Shit.
[loud low noise]
[Tom] Alex!
Alex!
Alex.
Shit.
What am I doing?
Hey.
Just get her legs.
[man on TV] Behind me.
I got your back. Cover me!
I need a distraction!
Goddamn it, Callaghan,
watch your back!
Protect your black ass!
[radio] Overnight temperature has
been dropped into the sixties
and tomorrow's forecast...
[radio interference]
Hey.
Are you okay?
What happened to you?
If you tell me where you live,
I can take you back home.
There.
Are you sure you're okay?
You're welcome.
[loud car horn]
[door being slammed]
You need me to call the police?
Anyone?
Here, help yourself.
[cell phone vibrating]
Hello?
Hello?
Okay, I'm hanging up.
[Alex] Please...
don't.
Alex? You okay?
Yeah.
What happened? Where are you?
Where am I?
Casey's Diner on 65.
Hey.
What happened?
[employee] She showed up half naked.
So, I gave her some clothes.
I should call the cops.
Please don't.
I'll take her home. Alex.
Come on.
Let's go.
You can crash
at my place if you want.
Just to give you a chance to sleep
off whatever you took at the party.
You want to change?
Hey.
Yeah. Your nose is bleeding.
Just hold that.
Just... wait.
Okay.
Lean your head back.
Okay.
Just... just... okay, okay.
Let me see.
Yeah, okay. I think it stopped.
[clears his throat]
You won't even...
[radio] President Trump has not retreated
on any of his strong positions
on banning illegal aliens from
entering the country following...
[car not starting]
[TV reporter] ...city's west side.
One way of John Street is temporarily closed
for ongoing construction. Signs of...
Can I have this
refilled, please?
...forbidding drivers
to make a right turn off...
Sure thing.
Police have been on scene since last week
cautioning drivers and issuing tickets.
Officers say drivers tell them
they don't see the sign
or that they don't see
the danger.
But police say the risk is real for both
motorists and construction workers.
An eventful night
in the Plano Valley.
The southland blackout left three
hundred thousand homes without power.
The result of an electrical
surge at a large transformer.
It lit up the night's sky
for several seconds
prompting a flood of calls
from concerned residents.
Some have suggested
a meteor or northern lights.
Vandals have a struck a hole at near
Hillcrest Park stealing two signs...
High Street near Hillcrest Park's been
problematic for pedestrians for years.
Who's that?
Residents complained that fast-moving
traffic along the lot nearby crosswalks...
Is that you, Janey?
You're not Janey.
...is trying to locate
17-year-old Alex Lainey,
reported missing
early this morning.
Last seen at the Southland
Energy reservoir.
- Reporter Jerry Bailey...
- Thanks.
...is on the scene and
she'll bring us up to date...
[toilet flushing]
Oh, fuck.
Good morning, sweetheart.
Where's your brother?
Chocolate for breakfast, really?
I'm going to the store.
Get that mess cleaned up.
Sean?
[loud low noise]
Shit!
Hey, Sean, you got to see this.
Look, this... this girl, you got
to see what she can do.
She has some crazy
powers or something.
- What, Alex?
- Alex?
We need to get you home. They think
you're like missing or something.
No, no, no, listen,
you have to see this.
Where's grandma?
- She's gone. She went out.
- What?
She's fine. She went out.
- Grandma!
- No, she's fine. She's totally fine.
- What do you mean?
- I mean, she's completely okay. She's back to normal.
What...
Good morning.
What's the matter with you two? Come
on, help me put this stuff away.
You're okay.
Of course I'm okay.
Sorry, this is Alex.
I know. We've met.
You know, some notice would be nice
if someone's going to stay over.
I mean, this place looks
like a circus for the night.
No offense.
You know, you got
Sean all love sick.
- Jesus, grandma.
- Don't you 'Jesus' me.
You don't think she could see it?
Look, your face is all flushed.
It's lovely.
Sean, set the table. Alex, how
would you like your eggs?
Haven't seen my grandma like
that in, I don't know how long.
That was crazy.
Hopefully, she still
remembers how to drive.
Okay, we should hurry.
Can't really have the cops coming
to my house looking for you.
Okay.
What did he give you?
Who?
What do you mean, who?
Tom, your boyfriend.
Someone gave you a pill
at the party.
I can't remember anything.
Then why didn't you ask him to pick you
up when you're out with friends. Why me?
Right.
Where are you going?
Your house is that way.
Seriously?
You don't remember
where you live?
Tell Tom to get better drugs.
Or you could just get
a better boyfriend.
Okay.
That was a joke.
Alex, where the hell
have you been?
I'm sorry.
They found all of your stuff
by the reservoir.
We thought you were dead.
Why don't you step in, son?
Mister Lainey, please.
It's his wife.
Hi, yeah. She just walked
through the door.
You're fine, right?
Alex!
I... I don't know.
[stepmom] Alex!
Just talk to them. You
didn't do anything wrong.
What? What is it?
We shouldn't have come here.
What's over those mountains?
I don't know. Just
hundred miles of desert.
It's not just desert.
- What?
- [stepmom] Alex!
Alex. Honey, just open
the door, please.
[sheriff] Alex.
Can you just open
the door for me?
[stepmom] Alex, open the door.
I think I should go.
[sheriff] Alex!
[stepmom] Alex, open
the goddamn door right now!
Alex, open the door right now!
[stepmom] Alex!
What? How did...?
[stepmom] Alex! Come back here!
Alex.
Alex.
Wait! Where are you going?
I don't belong here.
Alex? Alex!
Alex!
[Sean] Alex!
Slow down!
[radio] Caucasian female,
five-seven, Alex Lainey, seventeen.
Caucasian male, five-eight, seventeen
in black and white number one,
one, six, sending out
AMBER Alert.
You can just go back and tell them
that I forced you to come with me.
You did force me. You
pushed me out of window.
How did you know
you could do that?
I didn't know. It just happened.
That doesn't just happen.
[radio chatter]
You got to tell
me something, just
anything so I don't feel
like I'm losing my mind.
I was under water.
It's like I was drowning...
I was drowning.
I should be dead.
But there was something
in the water with me.
I can still feel it.
What does it feel like?
So, you're like...
what, like
magnetic or something?
I don't know.
Wait.
Okay. Do it again.
Do what again?
Your thing. Do it again.
I don't know how to do it.
I don't... it just happens.
Just do what you did.
I don't know what
I'm supposed to do.
Wait, wait, wait,
just put it back.
Just let me try
one more time.
Alex.
Is it working?
Damn it, I thought
that I had it.
[Alex screams]
We need to get off the road.
What can I get you?
Sprite, Cherry Coke and two
chicken fingers with fries.
You okay?
I'm fine.
It's Cherry Coke.
I know you hate that diet stuff.
Well, you used to.
You seriously don't
remember anything?
You know when you have a dream
and it's so intense
you think that
it's actually happening?
But then by the time you
brush your teeth, it's all gone.
That's how my life feels.
I know that all this stuff
happened, I just...
I can't remember any of it.
Up until last night
when you picked me up.
I'm glad you called me.
Do you mean that?
Yeah.
I feel like we're
Bonnie and Clyde.
I don't know who that is.
Chicken tenders.
Thank you.
Now listen, this ain't
none of my business
but those boys over there have
been watching you for a while.
Can I get this to go?
Sure, baby.
- Let's go.
- What's wrong?
Hey, you're Alex Lainey, right?
I know you guys
are like fugitives.
Dude, what did I tell you?
See?
I thought you were dead.
Where the hell have you been?
Did he kidnap you?
No.
Whatever, just get
in the truck, Alex.
She's not going with you.
I don't even know
who you are, man.
I'm taking you home
to your family.
Let's go.
[Alex] Hey.
- Alex.
- Sean!
- Sean!
- Alex!
[phone beeps]
You need to get in the car.
Sorry, who are you?
If you want to make it through
the night, get in the car now.
- Thanks, we're fine.
- No, you're not.
- There are people looking for you.
- Yeah, we know that.
I'm not talking about police.
Hey. You don't recognize me?
I gave you a ride last night.
They'll find her
just like I did.
I'm guessing you have a lot of questions
about what's happening to you.
I can give you some answers.
But you need to trust me.
Really nice of you.
I think we're...
Alex.
Alex.
This is a bad idea.
Put this on.
What is it?
It's made of lead.
Like at the dentist.
Why?
Protection.
Protection from what?
From her.
I've seen this stuff on
YouTube. It's all bullshit.
You're right. Most of it is grainy home
video of flying saucers, abduction stories.
They're just distractions
to throw in the six o'clock news
to make sure that any real evidence
will get lost in the noise.
But it's hard to hide now.
Everyone has a camera.
So, you're saying
those are like,
- what, alien spaceships?
- No, no, no, no.
Not spaceships, just light.
No mass to slow you down.
The people who are
looking for her are terrified
because they have no idea
what they're dealing with.
And how could you
possibly know that?
Because I worked for them.
They used to send me
to clean up the mess.
Change hospital records.
Destroy evidence.
Whatever I had to.
Are there others like me?
Yes.
There were seven other
close proximity centers.
More?
What happened to them?
None of them survived
more than six hours...
until you.
- I'm going to die?
- No, you're not going to die.
Look, she's fine. Show him
what you can do. You get...
you can do... you just... Alex.
Alex.
Hey.
Every minute you're with her, you've
been exposed to a kind of radiation.
You need to get as far away
as can you from her.
I'm not leaving her,
she needs my help.
No, no, no, no. There is
nothing more you can do.
When your hair starts falling out
and you're too weak to stand,
you will wish
you took my advice.
Why here?
Why not like
Washington or Tokyo?
Because we called it.
In 1997, Chinese radio
telescopes picked up a signal,
thousands of years old.
It was mathematical.
Simple equations that create
infinitely complex symbols
like characters
from a new language.
Well, new to us.
So, we built this.
What does it do?
Every night we project
the symbols into the sky,
hoping whoever sent it
first is watching.
We called and they answered.
She's the proof.
What?
You were right.
It's not just desert.
So, what do we do?
I know the protocols.
I can buy you some time,
so we can figure out the
best way to go public with it.
We will leave first
thing in the morning.
I think we should get some rest.
The trailer next door is empty.
You can sleep there.
Sean?
Oscar.
Where are you?
What the hell's going on? There's like a whole
bunch of cops that are looking for you.
Is it her?
It's her, isn't it?
She showed you?
Yeah.
See? I told you I wasn't lying.
Yeah.
You were right.
How's grandma?
She's great actually.
When are you coming back?
Soon.
Like, when?
Oscar.
Oscar.
I can't hear you. Sean?
Hello?
I... I can't hear you.
- Sean?
- Oscar.
I love you.
What?
I said I love you.
Just come home.
You sure that's a good idea?
Do you trust him?
- Cal?
- Yeah.
I mean, I don't know. It's...
It's a lot.
It's kind of a crazy day.
You're like part alien?
It's not funny.
No?
That's what he says.
Hell.
You don't believe
anything he said?
I don't know.
I don't know what I am.
It's okay. I'm cool with it.
Really?
Where did you get this?
You gave it to me.
I wish I could remember more.
You're lucky.
There's so much
I wish I could forget.
Like what?
Just like
my mom leaving, my grandma
getting sick right after,
what happened between us.
What?
Nothing.
- What is that?
- It's...
I think it's from when you pushed me out
the window. I think your hand was there.
Does it hurt?
It's all right.
I don't want to hurt you.
I think we should get some rest.
[vomiting]
[radio chatter]
Move, move, move!
- [policeman] ...perimeter.
- [man on radio] Copy that.
No sign of break-in.
Hello, Cal.
I didn't expect
to see you again.
You didn't even say goodbye.
Well, I see you stole
some of our stuff.
How did you find me?
We assumed you'd
try tracking it yourself.
Anything?
She stable?
Twenty-eight hours.
Incredible.
She's different
from the others, Kate.
You need to see
that for yourself.
I plan to.
We have her. She's on the move.
Heading southwest on...
They're just trying
to connect with us.
Take care of yourself, Cal.
Alex!
Alex.
Sean, just let me get on the
bus and get out of your life.
I don't want you out of my life.
Alex, I don't want
you out of my life.
Sean.
You're sick and I'm
making you sicker.
- That's what Cal said.
- No, Cal was wrong, okay?
Cal was wrong.
My grandma hasn't said a word in two years
and then you show up and suddenly she's...
she's speaking and she's normal.
That's not some coincidence.
You did that.
That's crazy.
- Yeah.
- It's not true.
Yeah, it's crazy.
It is.
Or maybe it's the first thing
that makes any sense.
Door's closing.
One minute, please.
Just give us one minute.
You can get on that bus
but I'm coming with you.
You're going to get
yourself killed.
I'm not dead yet.
Is there a problem?
Everybody, stay
in your seat, please.
Don't let them take me.
Just keep your head down.
[clicking from Geiger
counter intensifies]
[screaming and shouting]
- Get off!
- [man] That's it, yeah.
Don't hurt her!
What are you doing to her?
Alex!
Alex! Leave her alone!
Leave her alone!
Alex!
Alex!
Let her go! Let her go!
Alex!
[radio chatter]
[general chatter]
What are you doing to her?
We're trying to help her.
I want to see her.
Sean.
I want to see her!
The radiation that's been
emitted has hurt a lot of people
and it seems
to be contained in Alex.
You've had secondary exposure
which has made you very sick.
So, until we can get our hands
around this, you can't get near her.
I'm sorry.
You've been given a localized paralytic
agent to immobilize you from the neck down.
It's for your own safety.
Do you understand?
Nice to meet you, Alex.
We've been trying to establish contact
with this phenomena for a long time.
We're like children
trying to say our first words.
All the money and resources we've
invested, it didn't matter.
They chose your friend.
We don't know
if it was even intentional,
but we believe they're using Alex
as a way to communicate with us.
What are they?
That's a tough
question to answer.
Our technology has had little success
getting information from them or it.
We know that they're radiating in the
full EM spectrum and that they're old.
So old that they may have been
there from the beginning.
Beginning of what?
The Big Bang.
Creation, everything.
[scientist] We want to know where
they came from and why they're here.
We think they've been attempting to
integrate their consciousness with ours.
You're seeing this?
[scientist] Up until now those efforts have
proved problematic. Our biology rejected them.
Is she conscious?
[scientist] People died.
She's seeing something.
Would you excuse me?
She's going into cardiac arrest.
We need to intubate. Let's go!
[automatic voice] Warning: Radiation
levels have exceeded safety limits.
All right. Shut it down, now.
Warning: Radiation levels
have exceeded safety limits.
Proceed to designated
quarantine zones.
Alex.
[machine powering down]
[flat line beep]
Alex...
Alex...
Alex...
[sighs]
[deep breath]
[scientist] Alex.
Alex Lainey.
Is this us?
It's okay.
Am I dead?
That's good.
Alex...
Alex.
Don't go.
Just stay.
Let her go.
We're here.
It'll get better now.
Oh!
Son of a... bag of tits. Shit!
[helicopters]
That was sick.
Come on, let's go.
Would have been sicker
if I landed.
You'll get it.
You think they're going
to watch you forever?
Yeah.
This medicine
Is wearing thin now
We're bullet proof
Until we bleed out
And even though we always
Try to hide our instincts
From our pride
In our struggle to survive We
keep the warpath By our side
We strike the sky
Until the sun bows
And fly until our
Feathers burn out
All our lives
We've been apart
A vicious cycle
From the start
In our struggle to survive We
keep the warpath By our side
This medicine
Is wearing thin now
We're bullet proof
Until we bleed out
And even though we always
Try to hide our instincts
From our pride
In our struggle to survive We
keep the warpath By our side