Altered Film Review: Sci-Fi and Stereotypes

Altered’s visual effects and action sequences are captivating, but its shortcomings lie in poor sound design and problematic writing.

Leon (Tom Felton, Harry Potter) is a “Special,” one of the ostracized citizens in this near-future society who did not receive genetic enhancements. This sci-fi action flick separates people into “districts,” as in The Hunger Games, and the oppressive governments that dominate most dystopian stories rule mercilessly in the name of innovation. Altered’s visual effects are impressive, and the chemistry between Leon and his partner in crime, Chloe (Elizaveta Bugulova), are almost enough to keep viewers engaged through rough editing and sound design.

Altered opens with Leon’s narration about how such genetic developments became possible. In about two minutes, he walks viewers through all the information needed to understand how society functions and how the Specials must fight to survive every day. The film attempts a tense heist sequence before delving into more exposition on the makings of this brave new world, and it mostly pays off. There are plenty of well choreographed fight scenes and action sequences in Altered, which break up some of the monotony of a story that is too bent on stereotypes to be original or groundbreaking.

Its themes are poignant: technological developments are changing the world as we know it, and the discussion on how leaders should govern their citizens is perennially daunting. Yet, while trying to show such an extreme end toward which our world could be hurtling, Vuorensola packs this brisk, 85-minute tale full of tropes, expositional dialogue, and plot twists that have all been done before. Thankfully, the visual effects and action at least depict these familiar moments well.

Altered’s most distracting flaw is its editing. Though the film features great choices for sound effects and sound design, every line delivery seems as if the filmmakers had re-recorded the script and added it in post-production. For most of the movie, the actors’ lips don’t match up with the sounds coming from their mouths. Most sound effects seem delayed or unrealistic. It’s hard not to focus on such slight flaws which are present in nearly every scene.

Despite these shortcomings, Altered still has some redeeming qualities. First and foremost is the chemistry between Felton and Bugulova. Their utter reliance upon one another is clear and believable, making the stakes of their dire circumstances more convincing. What starts as a small, covert subversion of their oppressive government becomes an all-out war in plain sight, with Felton acting as a kind of superhero and emblem of hope for other Specials in his district.

Of most importance in this movie is not warnings about dystopian society or the potential dangers of genetic enhancement, but rather how people treat those with disabilities. Everything about Altered’s story seems overt and extreme—except for the ways in which the Specials are treated. Perhaps the most poignant and relevant lesson in this film is that even in a vastly different society and economy from ours, the disabled are still outcast, looked down upon, and viewed as second-class citizens.

This critique of such discrimination is moving, though the movie’s attempt at resolving this problem is somewhat flawed. Rather than proposing that all people have inherent value, Altered’s approach to the worth of the Specials lies more in whether they can leave what the upper class call their “genetic deformities” behind. Though Leon and other Specials don’t partake of the genetic enhancements they decry, their fight against their oppressors is predicated on their ability to become “normal” by other means, which ultimately undermines the points made earlier in the story.

Altered has obvious flaws in writing and editing, but the acting, visual effects, and action sequences are enough to result in a good watching experience. I would have preferred if the story further emphasized the inherent dignity of the Specials, rather than progressing as it did, but in the end there are plenty of interesting points to ponder about this movie. Viewers with an appetite for the familiar plot points in sci-fi as well as those curious about how Tom Felton’s acting is outside of a Harry Potter film might be able to overlook Altered’s many flaws, but the overall experience would still be draining.

Altered will be released on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on January 20, 2026.