What’s It About
In a near future, life on Earth has been decimated. Paul (Nicolas Cage) and his twin teenage sons, Thomas (Jaeden Martell) and Joseph (Maxwell Jenkins), have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. When the sun sets, ferocious creatures of the night awaken and consume all living souls in their path. One day, when Thomas doesn’t return home before sundown, Paul chooses to leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him before the creatures arrive. Just as he finds his boy, a nightmarish battle ensues and Paul is gravely wounded. Now the twins must devise a desperate plan for surviving the coming night and use everything their father has taught them to keep him alive.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
In Arcadian, the apocalypse is marked by mutant insect infestations, but the reasons for these events are unexplained. The story follows Nicolas Cage and his two teenage sons, who try to survive in a farmhouse, boarding up doors and windows at night to fend off predators. Director Benjamin Brewer introduces innovative designs for the movie’s giant bug-like creatures, resembling a mix of praying mantises and apocalypse-resistant cockroaches. However, the film falls short in developing compelling human characters, and the attempts at creating an original monster lack impact. Another subplot involves medicine, but it is unclear what type of medicine is essential or why. The movie fails to explain this, leaving viewers to assume its significance. Arcadian is indirect, implying more than it clarifies, and the story feels disjointed. Paul and his sons Thomas and Joseph survive by foraging during the day while defending their home from feral beasts at night. The director uses standard techniques to hide budget constraints, such as keeping monsters in shadows or behind doors, but these tactics don’t fully succeed. The film’s vagueness and lack of consistency in monster rules contribute to its shortcomings. While tension is built effectively through silence, and the monsters look impressive, the overall impact is diminished by a weak script filled with shortcuts and clichés. Understanding the medicine subplot would have been beneficial, but the movie fails to elaborate. In summary, Arcadian resembles a monster-movie version of The Alamo or Attack on Precinct 13, with characters holed up in a fort and bracing for the worst. However, the film lacks compelling human characters and a clear explanation of events, leaving viewers with a superficial understanding. Despite the director’s innovative creature designs, a solid and well-explained plot is ultimately more crucial.
OUR RATING – A RESISTIBLE 3