Directed by

Jean Pellerin
Made by

Alliance Atlantis
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Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Laserhawk (1997). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Jason James Richter as Zach Raymond, a nerdy Wisconsin teenager who suddenly attracts local attention after allegedly filming a UFO with unexpectedly clear footage. The mystery draws in Ivan Rogers as Col. Lewis Teagarden of the United States Army, who investigates the claim and uncovers that Zach faked the footage using a green screen and a homemade UFO model. Devastated and exposed as a fraud, Zach takes a job at a nearby diner, where he meets Melissa Galianos as Cara, a goth girl who is an avid comic-book fan. She tells him he shouldn’t have copied the UFO design from her favorite comic book, and though Zach has never read the comic, the ship he built looks identical to its drawing.
Zach drives a coworker home to a trailer on the edge of town, while a school bus full of students returns from an away football game, filming their celebratory ride. On a country road, Zach notices a blinding light, peers upward, and witnesses a real UFO. Panicked, he floors the accelerator and crashes into a tree. The UFOs then begin to appear over the town, abducting townsfolk, and these crafts resemble both the one Zach faked and the one Cara remembers from her beloved comic, connected to Gordon Currie as M.K. Ultra.
The duo eventually track down M.K. Ultra, who explains that the unsettling drawings were inspired by the mind of a former mental patient, and the comic’s imagery traces back to Bob. In a revelatory turn, they discover that Mark Hamill as Bob is not insane at all, but an alien being reincarnated from 250 million years ago who has been waiting for the invaders to return so he can save the Earth. As the truth unfolds, Zach and Cara realize they are also reincarnated aliens, destined to join forces to avert the impending extraterrestrial invasion and protect their planet. The town, the mystery, and the very fabric of their identities collide in a story that blends science fiction with small-town life, prompting them to embrace their extraordinary legacies and face a future where the fate of humanity hinges on something far larger than a single filmed clip.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Laserhawk (1997) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Video goes viral in town
Zach's supposed UFO footage becomes a local sensation, and his name spreads through school gossip and town chatter. The clip is described as unusually clear and convincing, earning him unexpected attention from peers and adults. The fame quickly puts him on a pedestal before any proof of its authenticity surfaces.
Colonel Teagarden arrives to investigate
Colonel Lewis Teagarden from the US Army arrives to scrutinize Zach's video. He soon proves that the footage was manufactured with a green screen and a homemade UFO model, undermining Zach's credibility. The investigation shifts the town's mood from wonder to suspicion, affecting both the school and local media.
Truth comes out: the footage was faked
The Colonel reveals the footage was faked using a green screen and a homemade UFO model. Zach's sudden fame collapses as friends and teachers distance themselves, and he begins to realize the consequences of deceit. He must reassess his place in the town and his own ambitions.
Zach finds work at a diner
Dejected by the exposure, Zach takes a job at a local diner to make ends meet and stay out of the spotlight. He faces an ordinary life he had previously mocked, and the routine challenges of balancing work, reputation, and guilt. The paycheck becomes a lifeline as he searches for meaning beyond fame.
Zach meets Cara, a comic fan
At the diner or around town, Zach meets Cara, a goth girl who shares a passion for comics. She challenges him by noting that his UFO design resembles a ship from her favorite book, hinting at a deeper connection. Although Zach has never seen the comic, the resemblance unsettles him and sparks a new curiosity.
A ride to a coworker's trailer ends with a real UFO sighting
Zach drives a coworker home to her trailer in the woods outside town, and a blinding light fills the sky as a real UFO appears. The sight shatters his skepticism and he floors the gas, crashing the car into a tree. The same UFO then lifts a nearby school bus with a tractor beam and drops it back into the woods, leaving the bus empty and the town stunned.
UFOs abduct townsfolk
Following the sighting, additional UFOs hover over the town, abducting residents in a chilling escalation. The ships resemble the one Zach faked, and Cara begins to suspect a larger cosmic pattern at work. The town's sense of safety evaporates as disappearances mount.
Zach and Cara seek answers from MK Ultra
Zach and Cara track down Mr. Ultra, the comic artist who inspired the alleged ship. He explains that his work grew from a former mental hospital background and the ravings of a patient, reframing the comic as a possible reflection of something real. The meeting shifts their focus from fear to a search for truth behind the images.
Bob the alien reincarnated emerges
Mr. Ultra's revelation points to Bob, the mental patient whose ravings inspired the comic. They learn Bob is an alien being reincarnated from 250 million years ago and has waited for invaders to return so he can save Earth. This reframes the mystery from a hoax to a potential planetary defense.
Zach and Cara discover their own true nature
Zach and Cara realize they are also reincarnated aliens, sharing a destiny with Bob to protect the planet. The threads of science and myth converge as they confront their roles in forthcoming cosmic events. The revelation reframes their earlier actions as preludes to an actual mission.
The threat becomes clear
With the identity of the invaders and the trio's true nature exposed, the group prepares to confront the looming alien threat. They commit to using their knowledge of human fear, media, and myth to rally others. The town, once enthralled by spectacle, now looks to them for salvation.
Earth saved and destiny revealed
In the climax, Zach and Cara embrace their roles as reincarnated aliens alongside Bob, standing against the invaders. They realize their growth from fame-seeking teen to planetary defenders, and the story ends with Earth secure and their destinies fulfilled. The tale suggests destiny can emerge from deception, curiosity, and courage.
Explore all characters from Laserhawk (1997). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Zach Raymond (Jason James Richter)
A nerdy Wisconsin teen who seizes a moment of fame by faking a UFO video. He wrestles with the consequences of his deception and is drawn into a larger destiny as he discovers his and Cara’s extraterrestrial heritage. His arc moves from self-interest to courageous involvement in saving the planet.
Bob Sheridan (Mark Hamill)
An alien being reincarnated from 250 million years ago who presents himself as calm and wise. He has waited for the invaders’ return to rescue Earth and becomes a guide to Zach and Cara. His presence reframes the conflict as a salvific mission rather than mere conflict.
Cara (Melissa Galianos)
A goth girl and avid comic book fan who points Zach toward the truth behind the alien designs. She recognizes the uncanny resemblance between the UFOs and her favorite comics, hinting at their shared extraterrestrial origins. Cara's curiosity and loyalty help drive the duo toward embracing their destiny.
M. K. Ultra (Gordon Currie)
A cartoonist whose work inspired the alien designs and whose past in a mental hospital ties into the origins of the cosmic threat. Ultra serves as a bridge between the town’s pop-culture world and the real alien history they uncover. His backstory reveals how imagination can intersect with real extraterrestrial lore.
Col. Lewis Teagarden (Ivan Rogers)
A United States Air Force colonel tasked with investigating Zach’s supposed UFO sighting. He embodies the official response to unexplained phenomena, balancing skepticism with the possibility of a genuine threat. His presence adds a governmental pressure element to the town’s alien encounter.
Captain Moss (Larry Day)
A local military or aviation figure connected to Teagarden, contributing to the procedural and protective response to the alien sightings. He represents the organized, practical side of how communities confront extraordinary events.
Learn where and when Laserhawk (1997) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Contemporary
The events take place in a modern Midwest setting with current technology such as video cameras and green-screen effects. Teen life and school dynamics frame the story as Zach navigates fame, deception, and revelation. The narrative blends ordinary, contemporary realities with extraordinary alien phenomena.
Location
Wisconsin, small town, local diner, woods outside town, mental hospital
The story unfolds in a small Wisconsin town and its surrounding countryside, including a trailer in the woods and a local diner where everyday life happens. UFO sightings and abductions punctuate the town, linking ordinary locations to extraordinary events. The mental hospital backstory related to M.K. Ultra adds a looming institutional backdrop to the town's strange happenings.
Discover the main themes in Laserhawk (1997). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
👽
Alien Destiny
Zach and Cara discover they are reincarnated aliens tied to a centuries-old struggle to defend Earth. Bob, an ancient alien, has waited 250 million years for the invaders to return and to guide them toward salvation. Their newfound identity reframes Zach’s earlier fraud as part of a larger destiny, forcing them to embrace responsibility.
🎭
Facade & Truth
Zach’s fake UFO footage earns him local fame, but the truth of his deception shatters his image and trust. The fake design mirrors reality when real aliens appear, complicating what is true. The theme explores how perception can mask deeper truths and provoke personal growth.
🛸
Invasion & Heroism
A real extraterrestrial threat mirrors Zach’s earlier lie, abductions escalate, and the townsfolk are drawn into a crisis. The invasion tests courage, loyalty, and the willingness to act beyond fear. The eventual realization of their destiny pushes Zach and Cara toward collective heroism to defend Earth.

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Discover the spoiler-free summary of Laserhawk (1997). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In a world where humanity’s origins are tied to an ancient extraterrestrial experiment, the distant echo of a forgotten seed‑race awakens with a chilling purpose. After millennia of thriving as a seemingly ordinary species, Earth now faces the return of its creators, who view humanity not as a triumph but as a crop ready for harvest. The looming threat casts a shadow over a near‑future landscape that blends everyday small‑town life with the distant hum of unseen alien technology, creating a tone that is at once intimate and cosmic, filled with quiet dread and electric anticipation.
At the heart of the story are a handful of unlikely allies. Zach Raymond, a tech‑savvy teen from Wisconsin, finds his fascination with the unknown thrust into a larger reality. He crosses paths with Cara, a gothic comic‑book enthusiast whose keen imagination hints at deeper currents beneath the surface. Their investigation catches the eye of Col. Lewis Teagarden, a disciplined officer whose experience in the armed forces marks him as a pragmatic, battle‑hardened force in a world unprepared for the coming storm. Meanwhile, M.K. Ultra, a once‑in‑patient whose visions border on prophecy, offers cryptic insight that links the present danger to forgotten myths. The enigmatic Bob, whose presence feels both timeless and otherworldly, adds an additional layer of mystery, suggesting that the line between human and alien may be more blurred than anyone suspects.
Against the backdrop of an impending invasion, the group’s only hope lies in the legendary starship known as Laserhawk—a vessel older than the very species it now must protect. Its ancient power, dormant for 250 million years, promises a chance to tip the balance in humanity’s favor, even as the protagonists grapple with their own identities and the weight of an interstellar legacy. The film balances tense, high‑stakes speculation with moments of personal discovery, inviting viewers to wonder whether a blend of courage, foresight, and forgotten technology can indeed rewrite the fate of a world on the brink.
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