What Only Cicadas See
August 14th, 2026
MOVIE: WHAT ONLY CICADAS SEE
STARRING: MARY PURSELL, OMAR MOUSTAFA GHONIM, ÓLAFUR DARRI ÓLAFSSON
DIRECTED BY: BRAD COURTEMANCHE
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 1 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: R
RUN TIME: 120 MINUTES
The independent film What Only Cicadas See opens with a narrator speaking about a certain breed of cicadas that live underground and emerge from the dirt to die. It’s what they do every summer, but how it ties into what this movie is about, I am not entirely sure. The film follows two friends who set out to make a murder mystery documentary together, and as they get closer to the case, the case becomes more dangerous. All of that could make for an interesting film, but sadly, What Only Cicadas See is an exhausting and misguided exercise in overblown drama.
Our two characters are Mara (Mary Pursell) and Tariq (Omar Moustafa Ghonim), good friends who make documentary films and YouTube videos based on their interest in true crime. We learn early on that Tariq has created a new AI companion on his phone called Echo (voiced by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson). The plan is to use the AI to help guide them as they document and attempt to solve a murder mystery. After some convincing, Mara agrees, and the two venture into the rural parts of Florida. It begins with visiting the crime scene, interviewing a few locals, and stopping at cheap motels, but as they continue, things become more intense, putting both of them in harm’s way.
When you read that synopsis, you might think writer/director Brad Courtemanche has something here, as most films about people investigating a murder can create a natural sense of suspense. Sadly, almost all good faith in What Only Cicadas See is instantly removed by Courtemanche’s inability to rein in his actors. To put it bluntly, Pursell and Ghonim’s performances are so over the top that they never match the real drama taking place around them. There are only a few interviews conducted: one with a Southern local, one with a sex worker, and another with a potential witness to the murder. After each discussion, we are subjected to arguments between the two and nervous breakdowns about how intense things have become. None of it adds up.
On top of the film’s melodramatics, the narrative is biting off more than it can chew—or more than the audience can digest. Courtemanche attempts to introduce AI as a moral dilemma for Mara, who is hesitant to use Echo to help with the investigation. She, of course, eventually has full conversations with the AI and uses it to its full extent. That moral conundrum of using AI to investigate is quickly left behind as the duo gets closer to solving the case. Not without a lot more theatrics from our two lead characters, either.
The sad part about What Only Cicadas See is that, visually, it is well-lit, well-constructed, and competently produced. All of those functional elements are erased by an exhausting runtime, over-the-top acting, and motivations that make little sense. The process of making a documentary also feels forgotten, as Tariq isn’t recording anything, but apparently Echo is. It becomes impossible to care about either of these characters or the murder they are trying to investigate. It’s a whole lot of standing around in fields and shouting performances.
Frankly, I would rather listen to the calming sound of cicadas. That’s quite peaceful to me. This movie? Not so much.
1 ½ STARS
WHAT ONLY CICADAS SEE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR DISTRIBUTION AND DOES NOT HAVE A RELEASE DATE YET.
Written by: Leo Brady
