One Of The Best Sci-Fi Films You've Never Seen Could Change How We Watch Movies

A few years ago, I saw a wonderful science fiction film called "UFO Sweden" at the Fantastic Fest film festival. I loved it. I wrote a rave review. I waited for it to get a proper release so I could see it again. That release never came.

"UFO Sweden" isn't an inaccessible movie. It's the definition of a crowd-pleaser: an inventive, funny, sweet, exciting throwback sci-fi movie that feels like the '90s Hollywood adventures we still treasure these days. It's the story of a troubled teen who sets out to find her missing father with the help of his old UFO investigation club, a quirky team of misfits who only have each other. It's delightful. And unexpectedly emotional. There's just one "problem." It's a Swedish movie, starring Swedish actors, speaking Swedish, and even the most mainstream movie struggles to find an overseas audience if subtitles are involved.

But that's where things get interesting. The film has a new title, "Watch the Skies," and it's finally getting a wider release (via a limited release via AMC Theaters on May 9, 2025) for American audiences. Instead of subtitles, the film will be dubbed into English. However, this isn't the kind of dub you're expecting — this is "immersive dubbing," startling new AI-powered technology that digitally remaps an actor's mouth to the new audio, leading to a seamless performance.

I was skeptical. I was prepared to cringe. But as I say down to actually watch "Watch the Skies," I quickly realized I was looking at something that could literally change how International films can attract foreign audiences who won't read subtitles. The doors have been blown off. This could change the way we watch movies.

If you're like me and tend to get the ick whenever someone brings up AI in the context of a creative field, well, you're certainly not alone. Scott Mann, co-founder of Flawless, the company behind the new immersive dubbing, totally understands.

"I think that's fun as a struggle, because I think all technologies can be used for good or bad, truthfully," Mann told me over Zoom. "It depends on how it's utilized, how it's used."

There's an important distinction to be drawn between what Flawless does and what other AI-powered technology is known for. Immersive dubbing is a tool to be utilized by creatives, and one that does not replace creatives in the filmmaking process:

"We've built tools for creatives, for artists, for directors, for actors, for sound mixers, this kind of stuff. And I think when you enable the artists, the creatives themselves with new technologies, they can do a lot more with it, and that's the right way around. What you should not be doing is replacing creatives with AI."

"Watch the Skies" director Victor Danell was initially skeptical, but was won over once he realized he could bring back the original cast, and let them dub their own characters (the Screen Actors Guild has given Flawless and immersive dubbing its seal of approval). And while traditional dubs have been routine mocked for the "lip-flapping" effect, the technology means that actors no longer have to perform to match the lip movements of their characters, and English dialogue doesn't have to be awkwardly phrased to fit the cadence of another language. The new performance is digitally mapped onto the actor's mouth, allowing a dubbed performance to look natural for perhaps for the first time ever. 

"This technology enables us to be a little bit more free," Danell told me. "We can change subtle things in the dialogue, in the translation, that makes things a little bit clearer, or might have more direct, or funnier, small stuff. And that freedom, it's liberating." Danell's enthusiasm for the technology is obvious, even admitting that he prefers the English language version of "Watch the Skies" over the original film.

I think the sneaky beauty of "Watch the Skies" is that, unless you know about the immersive dubbing process going in, the effect is largely invisible. If you know what to look for, you can probably see the seams here and there, as you'd imagine with any fresh technology. But for the casual viewer? The person who never would've sought this movie out when it was titled "UFO Sweden" and required you to read subtitles? The effect will be invisible.

As a seasoned cinephile with an ongoing interest in international cinema, I do think I'll continue to choose a subtitled film when the option is available, mainly because I've never had an issue with them. But Flawless' immersive dubbing isn't necessarily intended for me. It's intended for the mass audience of folks who see subtitles as a barrier, but who are otherwise inclined to enjoy a movie initially made in another language. This is a technology built to make an entire world of film readily available to mass audiences. If done right, and responsibly, this is the gateway to international cinema for millions of English-speaking viewers.

And frankly, the message Flawless has presented says all the right things, and "Watch the Skies" speaks for itself. The movie is still a blast in English, and hasn't lost anything that I loved in the original Swedish version. And it was handled directly by the filmmakers, working with the original cast, allowing everyone involved to tweak and adjust the movie as they saw fit in their own creative process. This isn't some automated sludge, but a chance for artists themselves to build a direct bridge to new audiences and have total control over how foreign audiences will enjoy their work.

As an AI-skeptic who loves subtitles, I found myself intrigued and inspired by what "Watch the Skies" offers, and what it means for how mass audiences can watch, and enjoy, movies from around the world in the years ahead.