I want to ask you a bit of a personal question: what do you believe? Do you believe that we are alone in the universe? That even with all the constantly expanding universe, we are alone. That under no possible circumstance - could there ever be an intelligent race beyond our own. Sure, theories and fantasies have plagued us for years but what do you believe? Do you believe that we are alone? Do you believe that aliens really are out there? If you believe they exist, do you believe that they are peaceful or hostile? 

Have you ever truly stopped to ponder this? I'll be honest, I believe in aliens. I believe that maybe they don't look like these science fiction beings we've made them out to be. Maybe they're not little green or grey beings with big heads. Maybe they look more like Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars or Doctor Who. Whatever the case, intelligent life has been something we've been chasing since, what feels like, forever.

Here though, is a little tidbit of history often forgotten or unnoticed: the "WOW" signal. You see back in the mid-1970s, there was this large piece of equipment used for radio astronomy called "The Big Ear". Big Ear would send out signals into space to test theories of intelligent life. One day they got a hit -  a really big hit. So much, so, that it changed the possibilities for communications into space as we modestly know it. That's the subject of the documentary, Wow Signal. 

The documentary starts off strong. Explaining to the audience, the scientific significance of the find and the history that led to it. Although, that narrative quickly dissolves rather quickly fading into the second act. The narrative as a whole operates so unsure of what it wants to be. It starts off with a strong direction and an intimate narrative that quickly escapes into the broad nature of the science behind it. Wow significantly has identity issues, as it even goes into something completely unrelated in its third act. The film feels as if it keeps reaching and reaching to fill its time with content. Leaving the end result, messy and filled with more filler content than actual information. 

Overall, Wow Signal, aims for the skies but shoots for the ground. The film starts off strong with a compelling narrative and history that quickly fades into obscurity. The intimacy set within the first act approaches the broader subject behind the story. Although, still engaging and informative, feels out of place from what has come before it. The latter two acts operate more like filler, while occasionally approaching the subject of the film. Sloppy, yet engaging - Wow Signal is nowhere near as smart as it wants to be. 

RORSCHACH RATING:

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Music by Beggars.