Skywatch, Skywatcher and Skywatched Make Up This Trilogy
Bradshaw Ranch is back under the magnifying glass, and this time Dan Starkey and Clive Christopher (of Unearthed) are poking around Sedona, Arizona to see what kind of cosmic dust is being kicked up. Usually, their eyes are glued to the skies, scanning for UAPs drifting over the desert. In part two of a trilogy flying under the Skywatcher banner, and no, I did not spiral into thoughts of Skywalkers or Skinwalkers. What we get isn’t a deep excavation of theory but more of a starter kit. It’s a gentle “here’s how you might flag down the weird” guide for anyone tempted to pack a flashlight, find a mate to protect your back, and go hunting for an unexplained encounter.
The region near the Superstition Mountains has long been steeped in lore. Indigenous stories, frontier myths, whispers of hidden gold and stranger things. If cryptids once roamed the Wild West, I would not be shocked. That’s not the path this documentary takes. Instead, it leans into the idea of energy, where it’s coming from and if it is sentient. Maybe this force is stirred up by human intention, or perhaps by something less visible and more elusive. If I ever decide to go hunting for hematite, well known in New Age circles for its “grounding” properties, I now know where to start. Still, much like the cautionary tales about removing lava rocks from Hawaii, I suspect the desert might not appreciate souvenirs either.
Fortunately, no one carts off cursed trinkets here. No bad mojo follows the crew home. What we get instead is modest filmmaking paired with genuinely lovely drone photography. The sweeping shots of the terrain do more to capture the spirit of the place than any fleeting light in the sky. For hardcore UAP enthusiasts, there is not much in the way of new revelations.
At most, it might inspire a pilgrimage, given the ranch’s cinematic past. Bob Bradshaw once owned the property and turned it into a backdrop for countless Westerns, television shoots, and photo sessions. The land changed hands in the early 2000s and later became part of Coconino National Forest. It now falls within the Southwest Experimental Garden Array, known as SEGA, where climate change research and plant genetics studies take precedence. Rest assured, no hedgehogs were harmed in the making of this documentary.
When the cameras tilt upward at night, what flickers across the frame could be satellites, drifting debris, or simply the tricks of perspective. Without multiple observers and a more rigorous approach, it’s difficult to draw firm conclusions. Like much of Christopher’s previous work, this entry leans heavily on subjectivity. I found myself studying the constellations more than the anomalies. The familiar curve of the Big Dipper’s handle appears in frame, yet the outer edge of the bowl sits just out of frame. Had it been included, the pointer stars might have provided the direction this series so clearly needs.
Polaris never quite anchors the shot the way I expected. Unlike the leylines on the ground, the path the bucket points to may look like a direct path, but in reality, twists and turns are no doubt required to chart a flight there. And on Earth, in ancient times, they helped travellers know which direction they were headed, otherwise they’d be lost. Whether that is oversight or artistic choice is anyone’s guess.
Clive’s narration remains calm and inviting, and there is a quiet amusement in watching him and Starkey wander close to what may or may not be university research grounds. While this operation’s reputation is clean, with no rumours of mutated wildlife kept behind a fence, I can’t help but wonder what the garden may be hiding? The possibility of accidental trespassing adds a small spark of tension that part three might address. This chapter is very much a middle act. Unless the viewer knows the first part, what’s presented isn’t quite focussed. When viewed as a whole, Skywatcher may yet snap into clearer focus.
3 Stars out of 5
Skywatcher Trailer
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