For an indie film, Ghost Planet feels immersive, creating worlds, planets, and spaceships that look good, especially considering the film’s smaller budget. The set design and largely computer-generated effects are impressive, along with the sibling dynamics at the center of the movie. The film has plenty of heart and humor, too.

Directed and written by Philip J. Cook, the film is largely narrated by Max Stone (Joe Mayes). Max is an everyman type of fellow, relatable and a good fit for the film’s protagonist and narrator. He flirts with women and enjoys a good ribbing by his siblings, while dishing it out, too. The cast is rounded out by Claudia Amacher, who plays Max’s sister, Julia, and Mark Hyde, who stars as Max’s brother, George. Max and his family are charged with finding the remnants of an advanced technology, scattered across the universe. They have the backing of corporate sponsors, and they’re joined by Trudy (Georgia Anastasia), who mostly keeps an eye on the small crew, ensuring that they stick to the mission at hand.

For sci-fi to work, it needs, in part, a believable world. Though the effects aren’t always perfect, especially some of the planets, for the most part, they enhance the film. This is especially true of the spaceship designs. In fact, the film works best when the set designs and effects are a bit scaled down, such as room in a spaceship, as opposed to more sweeping shots of space or a planet. Some of the grander, universe-building shots fumble a bit, while showing the limitations of a smaller budget on a sci-fi film

Still, it’s the humans that really carry this film, and to that end, the cast does a good job selling the narrative and their roles in it. The dynamic among the siblings works well. Max, Julia, and George are distinct characters in their own right, and through some of Max’s narration, we learn more about them, fleshing out their backstories. The humor is another positive, enhancing the sibling dynamic and making it feel believable. The main cast jokes around like siblings would.

As for the broader adventure narrative, the film doesn’t really break any new ground. Countless sci-fi movies contain a specialized space crew, venturing into deep space, on a mission that endangers their lives. We’ve seen this story countless times before, including the subplot about corporate sponsors, who care about the mission above all else. Near the halfway point, another human character, Naiad (Julie Kashmanian), adds a twist. She can somehow read and understand the advanced technology, but again, even this plot point isn’t all that new.

Ghost Planet is an entertaining sci-fi adventure. It also benefits from its lean runtime. For the most part, the feature has some cool effects, especially for the smaller, more intimate settings. Though the broader narrative contains some cliches, the sibling dynamic adds a strong human element.