A father and his twin teenage sons fight to survive in a remote farmhouse at the end of the end of the world.
Nicolas Cage boasts the most illustrious, varied career of any working actor today. From Oscar-winning character actor to action film star, from blockbusters to straight-to-VOD bottom-of-the-barrel crap, from the peak of stardom to the depths of obscurity to rising back out of ashes like a phoenix in high-profile indies — he’s done and seen it all. Benjamin Brewer’s “Arcadian” marks his 700th feature film (kidding, but I’m not that far off), and while it may not break any new ground, it does display the less eccentric/fervent side of the great actor. Leaving behind (for the most part) his trademark tics and mannerisms, Cage smartly lets the young cast do the heavy lifting, merely providing poignant support when required.
You’ve seen the plot a dozen times: years after an unnamed apocalypse annihilates the majority of humanity, a family fends itself against nocturnal monsters (“A Quiet Place,” anyone?). Soon after the “big boom,” Paul (Cage) discovers and adopts two baby boys, who grow up into self-sufficient young warriors, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins). Things go awry: Paul gets badly injured, and the boys have to protect the house against the encroaching beasts – who discover an ingenious way to get inside.
The details lend this film a modicum of originality and a great deal of authenticity. The young men are utterly believable as brothers and survivalists, from their terrible haircuts to every gesture and glance. Despite being out of the picture for most of the picture, Cage casts a long shadow with just a few looks and phrases. As you probably guessed, this is a mostly quiet film, built on insinuations, rendering the loud, intense sequences that much more terrifying.
Which brings me to the beasts. By far the highlight of the film, they resemble alien arachnids crossed with apes, with extending beaks that snap viciously at their prey. Very much in line with the rest of the film (and, I’m guessing, due to budgetary limitations), the monsters are glimpsed briefly at first, then gradually revealed in their full glory – but with enough left to the imagination to cause nightmares for days. Just when you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to CGI monsters, Brewer and his team come up with something so genuinely terrifying that alone deserves major plaudits.
Too bad some of the plot’s twists and turns seem a bit forced (e.g., the whole “falling into the cave” sequence is awkwardly staged and raises many questions, as do the dynamics between our heroes and the inhabitants of a nearby farm). The dialogue falters here and there. Frank Mobilio’s camerawork is so needlessly shaky that it almost becomes a parody of films with shaky camerawork.
Alas, all is forgiven. People love Nic Cage and for a good reason. He’s magnetic. The camera loves him. Brewer made a film so good that it actually benefits from Cage playing second fiddle to two kids and some clever visual effects. Bravo.
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