The Return (1980)

Introduction
"The Return" is a 1980 film directed by Greydon Clark, starring Jan-Michael Vincent, Cybill Shepherd, and Martin Landau. The science fiction-cum-western genre tale is an unique blend of enjoyment, excitement, and secret featuring a line-up of legendary actors. The story begins in a village in 1940 when 2 children witness a strange flying object, just to grow up and determine the cause behind the mysterious occurrence that happened that day.

Plot
The plot starts back in 1940 in a New Mexico town when two children, Wayne and Jenny, are traumatized after witnessing an unidentified flying things (UFO) while they are on their way home. Wayne's dad is eliminated that night in his farmhouse under mystical conditions that the townsfolk ascribe to a mountain lion. Skeptical by the description, young Wayne becomes consumed with UFOs.
Fast forward to 1980; Wayne, played by Jan-Michael Vincent, is now a NASA researcher, while Jennifer, portrayed by Cybill Shepherd, is a prominent photographer in style. The two reconnect after they get brilliant headaches, stark reminders of the occasions from their childhood. They go back to their hometown, looking for descriptions and closure.

Examination Unfolds
Once back in their town, Wayne and Jenny start examining the occasion that transpired forty years ago. Wayne thinks that an alien encounter eliminated his daddy, however his theory is at first dismissed. The duo stands firm with the examination. In their quest for the reality, they find a piece of indestructible product which they begin to think is from the UFO they viewed as children.

The Thrilling Revelation
As Wayne and Jenny dig deeper into the enigma, Martin Landau's character Niles Buchanan, a sinister local, tries to stop them. Buchanan is involved in a uranium mining task in the very same mountain and does not want any interference from outsiders. The majority of the town, including the Sheriff, are on Buchanan's payroll. On the other hand, the duo finds that the UFO's indestructible product they recovered has comparable homes to the residues from the site where Wayne's dad was killed. The circumstantial evidence strengthens Wayne's belief about his daddy's actual cause of death.

Climax
The film reaches an awesome climax when Wayne and Jenny face Buchanan and his guys at the mine. There's a shootout, revealing that the mine consists of the buried UFO. Supernatural events happen after Buchanan harms the UFO. In the interim, the alien entity emerges, takes Buchanan away, and quietly retires back into the UFO, closing its door. Wayne and Jenny, now confirmed with their findings, decide to keep the UFO a trick and leave the town behind.

Conclusion
"The Return" is a remarkable mix of classic western and sci-fi genres. It intriguingly intertwines a childhood UFO sighting, a murder secret, some extraterrestrial connection, and a thrilling climax. Regardless of being made in 1980, the film stands its ground by providing an engaging story, keeping the audiences engrossed with suspense and mystery, while fuelling their imagination about the unknown. Still, "The Return" clearly sticks out with its distinct method of blending common western setting and clichés with a fresh twist of sci-fi mystery, making it a film worth a watch.

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