Primal Forest

I’ll be honest: I went into *Primal Forest* expecting another ‘humans vs. aliens’ slugfest, but Larcombe subverts that trope so hard it left me grinning. The premise—a planet given 30 days to prepare for “induction” into a galactic System—sounds like a setup for action, but the genius is in the *execution*. This is a story about *process*. The System doesn’t conquer with lasers; it *absorbs*, and the horror isn’t in the fighting but in the way characters scramble to game a system they don’t understand. One scene where a mid-level bureaucrat tries to ‘optimize’ his family’s survival by filling out interstellar paperwork had me laughing and squirming in equal measure. It’s *Catch-22* in space, and I’m here for it. Neill Thorne’s performance is a masterclass in restrained intensity. His voice has this clipped, almost weary professionalism that makes the escalating madness feel *earned*. When he delivers lines like, *“Your compliance has been noted, but your enthusiasm is lacking,”* it’s chilling precisely because it sounds like a real HR email. My only critique? The first act drags slightly as Larcombe sets up the world’s rules—there’s a lot of exposition disguised as office memos, and while it pays off, it tests patience. Also, the female characters sometimes feel underdeveloped next to the sharp satire of the male leads. But the payoff—a final act that’s equal parts tragic and darkly hilarious—more than makes up for it. If you love sci-fi that’s cerebral, funny, and just a little bit cruel, this is a must-listen. Just don’t expect easy answers—or happy endings.