An impressively made and well executed Australian sci-fi action thriller, The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One re-establishes director Shane Abbess as a homegrown talent of impeccable skill and vision.

Abbess first came to our attention 10 years ago with Gabriel, a fantasy action film that ushered him to Hollywood where he languished in the doldrums of development hell. That is until he returned to Australia with the Alien inspired Infini. Keen to keep the momentum going, Abbess has now released The Osiris Child: Science Fiction Volume One (what a title!), a sleek and gripping mash of post -apocalyptic sci-fi, monster movie and ticking-clock sub-genres, that makes great spectacle out of a limited budget.

Set in a future of interplanetary colonialization, Osiris Child… focuses on Kane Sommerville (Daniel MacPherson), a lieutenant who works for off-world military contractor Exor. He is also a divorced father trying to re-connect with his daughter Indi (Teagn Croft), who is staying with Kane at his stationed outpost on a barren Earth. When Kane is informed by Exor commander General Lynex (Rachel Griffiths) that Earth is due to be eviscerated in 24 hours after a global threat is detected, Kane teams up with prison escapee Sy Lombrok (Kellan Lutz) in a race against time to save his daughter.   

Of course there is more to the story, with Abbess and co-writer Brian Cachia using that good ol’ trump card of military brass doing bad things. Yet while there are generic traits to be found within Osiris Child…, the many fresh plot threads combined with the innovative visual execution in which Abbess presents his latest genre piece, is worthy of applause.

Australia of course has a history of turning straw into gold when it comes to film budgets, and Abbess does the same here. Prime use of locations and top grade sets pieces provide a visual palate with which to add stellar visual effects work. Nifty creature designs are also impressive and brought to life with practical effects fashion.

Good too are the performances from a gung-ho cast that bring the right amount of emotion and stakes to the film. Daniel MacPherson has positioned himself nicely as an action leading man, his portrayal of a father willing to take on all matter of obstacle to save his daughter, one filled with desperate emotion and much in the way of guns blazing. His hulking co-star Kellan Lutz also brings emotional depth to go along with physical action prowess. Twilight may have made Lutz into a star, yet Osiris is his best turn yet.

The scene stealers, though, is the double act of Luke Ford and Isabel Lucas as lethal step-siblings Bill & Gyp. Knife wielding and inhaling toxic fumes as if their life depended on it, they are what would be the result of Bonnie & Clyde and Die Antwoord getting it on in the back of a rusty pick-up truck.

At 99 minutes, Osiris Child… could have used some more time to flesh out its characters and especially expand more on its world building. Regardless, Abbess has delivered a fine piece of genre filmmaking that reminds us of his talents and anticipating what he has in store next.