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Parallel

Parallel

You can't go back.

2018104 minMidcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Director
Isaac Ezban
Starring
Mark O'Brien, Martin Wallström, Georgia King, Alyssa Diaz

A group of friends stumble upon a mirror that serves as a portal to a "multiverse", but soon discover that importing knowledge from the other side in order to better their lives brings increasingly dangerous consequences.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Parallel?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Parallel streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Parallel?

Parallel earns 4 badges, led by Breakout role and Haunting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Parallel worth watching?

Parallel's Midcredits score is the 36th percentile of all films, from 12K ratings across 4 sources. 36% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

36th percentile

Better received than 36% of films

32nd percentile among Drama36th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)40th
Approval (how many liked it)32nd

59 /100

40th percentile of all films

37th percentile among Drama41st percentile among 2010s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 5.9 — solid but not unanimous.

36% liked it

32nd percentile of all films

27th percentile among Drama31st percentile among 2010s
36% rated it 7–1064% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 3 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

12K ratings across platforms

89th percentile among Drama88th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 5% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film has a fascinating parallel-universe concept that is let down by uneven execution and underdeveloped characters.

Fans praised

  • engaging multiverse premise with moral dilemmas
  • solid performances from the cast
  • effective low-budget indie sci-fi craft

Detractors panned

  • illogical plot holes and inconsistent rules
  • shallow character development and unlikable protagonists
  • poor execution, pacing, and confusing narrative

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

decent but not standout; a few strong performances amid uneven casting

CinematographyDivisive60

creative color palettes and visual differentiation of worlds

AtmosphereDivisive58

effective mood setting in the old house and twilight zone vibe

Plot and storyDivisive42

good premise but riddled with plot holes, loses coherence in second half

DialogueDivisive42

mixed; some natural lines, but often clichéd and forgettable

CharactersDivisive40

shallow, unlikable, and underdeveloped; one moral center stands out

Pacing38

starts strong then drags; too long and uneven in the middle

Ending28

widely criticized as unsatisfying, confusing, and clichéd

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Parallel like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready to pay close attention and feel heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night or you can only half-watch.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, room for heavy feelings and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholicThrilling
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its multiverse premise straight, with a heavy, serious approach that underscores the moral corruption.
The rideThe film opens with a shock and sustains a nervous energy, but the emotional weight peaks near the climax as the group's unraveling becomes fatal.
StructureThe story unfolds linearly from the discovery of the portal to the escalating consequences of its misuse.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe moral decay and tragic ending linger, raising questions about identity and consequence.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% (this title) · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Corruption arc: Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).

9% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe discovery of a multiverse portal leads to a step-by-step moral decay among friends, driven by greed and ambition.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfCorruption
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% (this title) · Greed 3% (this title) · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Corruption · 3% of filmsGreed · 3% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe discovery of a multiverse portal tempts friends into exploiting other selves, leading to moral decay and betrayal.
StanceThe film uses the mirror as a cautionary device, showing how limitless power warps relationships and identity, ultimately warning against the seduction of shortcuts.

The world

ContemporaryDomesticUrbanIn transitStylized realism
ElectronicSupportive music · original score · Edy Lan
SettingA small-town house with a hidden mirror portal; various alternate universes
MusicThe electronic score underscores the otherworldly tension of the portal and the increasingly unhinged behavior of the group.

Content guide

Is Parallel okay for kids?

As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (71/100), sexual content at mild (23/100), language at intense (76/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (39/100) and frightening material at moderate (57/100). Overall it is heavier than 66% of all films.

Ratings in 6 other countries
  • UK15
  • CanadaR
  • Germany16
  • South Korea15
  • Belgium12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 66% of all films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavier than 69% of all films
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 28% of all films
Profanity
Intense
heavier than 82% of all films
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
heavier than 61% of all films
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
heavier than 55% of all films

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Parallel have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Parallel?

Cast

Mark O'Brien
as Josh
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Martin Wallström
as Noel
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Georgia King
as Leena
Alyssa Diaz
as Carmen
Aml Ameen
as Devin
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Carrie Genzel
as Yvonne Lehmann
Shannon Chan-Kent
as Jessica
Cassidy Alexa
as Jenny
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Izabel Pearce
as Maggie
David Harewood
as Mr. Parkes

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Parallel?

Movies like Parallel include The Rental (2020), Transcendence (2014) and Longlegs (2024). Of the 4 closest matches, half are corruption arc stories, and half are sci-fi films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

3 of these 4 share its world: tech startup. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Parallel?

139 other films share the rarest tag below, premise: multiverse. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.