Elevation

I kind of see this as a series. There's a unknown, enemy, unknown motivation, and a world that needs to be retaken. If it's a stand alone film, it's meh. I mean it entertains but it's derivative and lacking in true imagination. If it's a pilot or the first of a series of B movies I think it had real potential.

Regardless, it's better than expected. I definitely think it's worth a watch. The special effects are okay, acting is okay, the monster is lame but the twist at the end gives it legs, it makes you want more, and definitely want an explanation. I hope we at least get a sequel follow up that fills in the missing info.

I watched Elevation early as part of Marcus's Mystery Movie series. And I knew nothing about it beforehand. Watching movies this way maximizes your enjoyment, which it definitely did here. Unfortunately the enjoyment offered is fairly limited.

Elevation has some cool parts mixed into a mostly boring movie. The majority is walking and talking with exposition mixed in. It's a fairly standard movie within the subgenre. I like the creature design and a few suspenseful scenes. The rest isn't bad, but it maxes out at serviceable.

From someone who thinks most streaming movies are low-quality garbage, I see Elevation as more of a good streaming movie. But theatrically released, it feels underwhelming.

In a similar subgenre, I found Nicolas Cage's Arcadian to be more entertaining.

(1 viewing, early screening Marcus Mystery Movie 11/4/2024)

Started as normal end of world storyline. Humans mostly wiped with small group of humans trying to survive. Good mix of peril and discovery. Movie got to point with 90 minute runtime. Quickly establish a reason for me to keep watching.

The character cast was interesting enough and not annoying. Some favorites actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Little character development, honestly I was fine that.

If you liked Quiet Place then you will like this movie. Also this gave me Godzilla monster vibes.

The ending made it worth the watch. Hopefully this will spawn a series or another movie.

Go see this movie!

"Elevation" is a movie with a compelling premise that, unfortunately, stumbles in its execution. While there are glimmers of creativity and moments of genuine intrigue, the film ultimately falls short of fully capitalizing on its potential.

The story explores a high-concept idea that feels fresh at first but quickly becomes bogged down by uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters. The script occasionally touches on deeper themes but lacks the focus or depth to make a lasting impact. Instead, it relies on predictable plot beats and moments of unnecessary exposition that drag down its momentum.

On the positive side, the visuals are stunning. The cinematography does an excellent job of creating a sense of scale and immersion, and the production design gives the movie a polished, modern aesthetic. The soundtrack also enhances key scenes, adding emotional weight when the story struggles to provide it.

The performances, while not bad, don't elevate the material as much as they could have. The lead actor delivers a solid performance, but the supporting cast feels underutilized, leaving some relationships and dynamics feeling hollow.

Overall, "Elevation" is an admirable attempt that fails to reach its lofty ambitions. While it's not a bad movie and has some entertaining moments, it doesn't leave a lasting impression. For viewers who enjoy thought-provoking concepts, it might be worth a watch, but don't expect it to soar to great heights.

3.125 STARS - Elevation is a post-apocalyptic monster movie where most of humanity has been destroyed and those who survived are only doing so because they learned that the creatures can't go beyond 8,000 feet of elevation. The trigger for the story in this film is that a small group of the survivors must journey into dangerous territory to acquire some life-saving supplies. While it felt rather generic, this isn't the worst I've ever seen. The ending felt a tad too compressed, and because of that, it probably could have benefitted a bit from a few more minutes in that part. Though it clearly got its inspiration from other movies that have done it better, it added its own unique twist on things that made it at least interesting enough to not outright hate. Anthony Mackie and Monica Baccarin performed well here - especially with Monica, during a moment of emotional distress for her character. The main things that jumped out to me as negatives were the typical perfect-timing scenarios that happened toward the end and the predictable character death/situations that occurred. Other than that, it didn't feel flawed enough to recommend a hard pass on. Also, there is a small mid-credits scene to watch if you're interested. Video review to come shortly.