Site 2025 Movie Review
Blindness to the past matters in Jason Eric Perlman’s sophomore film, Site. Or should that be Sight? Here, Neil Bardo (Jake McLaughlin) wants nothing more than to be a family man, but his life unravels when work pulls him away and tragedy strikes. His son Wiley (Carson Minniear) is blinded in an accident. Overcome with guilt, Neil finds himself in a series of strange events that lean more toward fractured realities than pure cosmic dread.
Things change after he visits a property with Garrison (Theo Rossi). They hope to flip it for a profit, but inside they find a strange “Time Tunnel.” Its retro design recalls the 1960s sci-fi series on ABC. Like in that show, Neil can only observe events unfold—he can’t change them. Radiation from the machine sparks visions which won’t fade. McLaughlin captures the confusion well, showing a man who no longer feels in control of his own life. When Neil struggles to find work to pay for his son’s surgery, his world fractures even more.
The device turns out to be a particle accelerator, much like CERN’s. As the truth behind Neil’s visions comes to light, the images grow more disturbing—masked figures wears the mask of the Puppet (from the Saw movies) and a marionette worked by a Chinese father. Watching it twitch on strings is eerie, but when it later moves on its own, the film misses the chance to push that “no strings” terror further.
This concept has deeper roots in literature and theatre, and I was sad this did not get further exposition on. When Neil’s visions tie into the film’s prologue, set in a war-torn China where a family of three is caught in a conflict they never wanted, just how it all relates is terrifying! Those scenes set the tone: a father fighting to hold his family together as the thread binding them is cut is the same as the Chinese family whose life gets separated!
The story shifts to explore the real-life horrors of Unit 731. Not everyone will know this piece of history, and I thought this film made a huge tonal shift upon its inclusion. This Japanese biological and chemical warfare division performed human experiments during the Second Sino-Japanese War and WWII, and although their link to Neil’s story is loose, to be reminded about what they do is important. His former girlfriend, Xifeng (Danni Wang), bridges the two timelines.
What made me curious about this film is the poster. With the gas mask, I was instantly reminded of Doctor Who’s “The Empty Child.” It promised an eerie and surreal atmosphere. Perlman delivers some of that, but also packs in too many themes: identity loss, reincarnation, parallel worlds, and generational trauma. Each is interesting, but together they fight for attention.
Neil’s visions suggest he has a personal link to Unit 731’s past, though it’s never clear whether he’s a victim or a perpetrator. I expected a full Lovecraftian climax, but the film takes another route. Some viewers may find that choice frustrating; others will find this intriguing. Either way, Site offers mystery, symbolism, and a resolution that lingers long after the credits roll.
