This tells a story about people under pressure because of their "misfortune" that they're different.

There are many stories like that, but I truly believe that this is one to watch.

There are several points where it seems that the natural point where the story ends has reached, but ... it goes on. In some movies this doesn't work. In this movie it does.

Compared to the movies such as the ones from the X-men series it's less of a visual spectacle and it's not as physically brutal.

Still, when you're vulnerable to very nasty mind games that people play, it might be too much.

So in this movie it's not the amount of blood that enhances the horror, but "merely" people behaving extremely manipulative, because they're empowered to do so ...

This truly feels like something I had seen before and I without naming names, I have indeed already seen films about people with powers trying to keep them hidden and suppressed with a young person learning how to control them. Basically that's all that this is about. Some of it is clever, some of it confusing and none of it is really special. I did like some of the performers however. Mia Isaac in the lead role as the child who is learning is quite good subtly gaining strength, power and determination by the time this ends. Jessica Frances Dukes as her mother is also good and Garret Dillahunt provides, as usual, a most capable performance. I swear this guy can play anything. I loved his little smile near the end. I know nothing about Andrew Liner, but he gives one of the most sweet & tender performances that I have seen in a long time. That's mostly all he has to do, but he does it very well. This is not terrible, but it's minor.

Disclaimer: I watched the accompanying "Project Greenlight" first, so I knew there were issues with the script going into this but they did create more drama in the show to make the film seem worse than it is. Meko, you did need those extra shoots/angles girl...that's Film School 101 but PGL did lack true training/mentoring for a beginner (if it weren't for Gina and CatchLight I don't think this film would have made it). It's not bad for a first feature. The best movie PGL has ever released.

Now for my take.

It felt like a CW Pilot and not a film even per streaming standards. The pacing in the beginning was slow and could have been fixed with editing to help with the elements of surprise that follow later. This is a good lesson in a script needs to be solid before starting production. The story flow got better in the second act but then it all fell apart in the third. I give a 90% on technical because of the editing issue and VFX but it was shot, lit, and color corrected perfectly. Maybe to perfectly?! I saw all the Spielberg, Ridley Scott, etc. Tricks but enjoyed them none the less.

The actors were top notch and that along great production design and cinematography helped make it watchable.

Even with a killer script, I think 'Gray Matter' would have been better as a series and not a film. I don't feel it would have held up to 'Limitless' (which was first a book and later made as a series). This would have allowed for more character building. I think it's hard to make a genre piece like this and have true substance for just 90 minutes. However, the timeline for pre-production and principal was unrealistically condensed and I feel shows in the film execution as well.

So overall, the script, pacing (editing), budget, and the ridiculous timeline (I don't know how they got away with this) makes for a pretty good start on a TV series but doesn't hold up as a film.

I suggest give it a watch anyway just to see some good technical shooting and acting.