A father tries to protect his teenage sonsin a post-apocalyptic worldteeming with terrifying creatures inArcadian, which takes a familiar scenario to legitimately scary-as-hell heights. Director Ben Brewer and screenwriter Michael Nilon deserve a golf clap for delivering originality in a genre we’ve seen before ad nauseam.Jaws will drop as ferocious monsters display unique abilities and work together to fill their hungry bellies. Strong performances by a solid ensemble lift the narrative when it strays into simplistic territory.Arcadianis a lean filmthat packs a wallop in its relatively short runtime.
Paul (Nicolas Cage) runs at top speed through a city on the verge of collapse. Gunfire, sirens, and explosions are heard as he reaches his destination. Paul picks up a pair of infants hidden in a garage. He clutches his precious boys as the skyline reveals the magnitude of what has happened. Paul doesn’t look back as he trudges ahead towards an uncertain future.
15 years later, Paul nervously scans the horizon as the sun sets on his rural compound. He yells at Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins), his oldest son, for being late. He doesn’t care what Thomas was doing at the nearby Rose farm. Joseph (Jaeden Martell) eyes his brother with annoyance as they enter the house. Paul begins his twilight routine of securing every entrance on the first floor. Windows are boarded up, the front door hammered shut and blocked.
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The family eats upstairs after Joseph says a prayer. The boys continue to argue as howls loom in the distance. Paul stops their bickering. He hopes the worst is over. America will be reborn through the survivors. Their days of hiding shall come to an end. Joseph doesn’t share that sentiment. He takes notes as clawing and shrieks are heard at the door. Paul and Thomas race downstairs to steady it as the hinges start to buckle under a withering assault. Joseph doesn’t budge as his brother and father hold the line. He knows the unseen attackers can’t break through. Joseph wants to learn more about their relentless enemy.
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Nothing represents the anxieties of the Covid age, climate change, and imminent global war like a good old-fashioned cinematic apocalypse.
Arcadian’sremote setting is key to understanding the strained dynamics between Thomas and Joseph. Brothers are naturally competitive. They’re both restrained by Paul’s rules but understand the reasons. Daylight is the only guaranteed safety. The monsters come at night and have been predictable so far. The intelligent Joseph doesn’t believe this will always be the case.
Brewer (The Trust) and Nilon, producer ofCage’s last 11 films, deftly build suspense before dropping a masterful reveal. We learn snippets of what caused doomsday during casual conversation. That knowledge doesn’t remotely prepare you for the horror spawned in the aftermath. Our first glimpse of the baddies is merely a peak behind the curtain, but alarming enough to build serious anticipation and dread. Audiences are going to be jumping out of their seats when the curtain finally drops. The filmmakers don’t disappoint after carefully crafting tension.
Brothers in Arms in a Familiar Storyline
Martell and Jenkins, seasoned child actors who’ve successfully transitioned to older roles, are entirely believable as siblings. Their anger and frustration with each other comes to a boiling point. This turn in the second act reflects a pivotal time in adolescence. Good parents prepare their children and pass on the values needed to make smart decisions. Paul has done everything possible to ready his sons for the inevitable crisis. They must choose to be their brothers' keeper or face a horrific outcome alone.
Arcadian’soverall narrative can be compared to a team version of Richard Matheson’s classic novel and Will Smith’s blockbuster adaptation ofI Am Legend. Terror haunts at night. What happens when defenses are breached? And there’s a dog along for the ride.The film has admittedly rote story elements like these and others that play out along an expected path.
Audiences are savvy. Something is obviously hiding in the closet. The trick is to make what comes lunging out of the darkness far worse than expected. Then to capitalize on that moment by amping up every interaction afterward. Brewer and Nilon aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. They stick to their guns until the opportunity arises to do something different.
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Arcadian Ticks Every Box
Arcadianticks every box for a horror thriller. You’re engaged, frightened, and genuinely root for the characters. It also helps that they’re not brainless morons. These teenagers aren’t running blindly into the woods without a plan. They’re not putting themselves on a platter. Dad’s lessons weren’t ignored. The monsters may have met their match.
Arcadianis a production of Saturn Films, Redline Entertainment, Highland Film Group. It is currently in limited theatrical release from RLJE Films with a Shudder network premiere forthcoming. You can watch the trailer below.
