Arcadian

Don't watch this move right after you eat something. The super shaky camera work could make you sick. 5 minutes into the movie I could not bear it. Just too uncomfortable.

The story line is easy and straightforward: people try to stay alive after some sort of apocalypse.

What is missing from the movie is the horror and the family dynamics. You either make the move very scary or you focus on the family and the bonding. Or make both the focus. However, this movie does not have enough either. Turns out the movie becomes boring and losing focus. So people can easily predict what's to come in the next 3 minutes.

It could be much better if they add some mysteries to the creatures. What causes the apocalypse is not that important to me.

There are two reasons you should watch this film. One, Nicolas Cage, and two the monsters in the film. Another major factor; do not listen to reviews. This is a solid B movie that deserves more than a 5.5 I mean come on. I'm telling you, if you give it a chance you will not come out disappointed. Fair warning though; for any viewers who don't like things out of the ordinary don't watch it. By the way this film is not a Nicolas Cage film, I say this because he is not the main character. He in fact does a great job and gives us this other point of view on him. He is always this crazy energetic character in all his other movies, but in this he is a calm and responsible character. This is probably one of his best performances in a while. I fully recommend you go and watch this flick, ESPECIALLY if you love creature features.

P. S. DO NOT READ ANYTHING ONLINE ABOUT THIS FILM!

Well, I like to think director Benjamin Brewer (best known for directing music videos and leading the VFX efforts for Everything Everywhere All at Once) had a few neat tricks up his sleeve while conjuring up this creature-feature starring Nic Cage. It has a pretty interesting first act that reminded me of films like A Quiet Place and It Comes At Night, with Cage being the difference-maker.

I'd see anything with Cage in it at this point - heck, I've watched all his bad DTV-movies when was going through a career slump in the 2010s before reinventing himself towards the end of the decade. I just enjoyed seeing him turning into a red-hot act once again. Arcadian evidently descends into a B-horror territory, with deliberate campiness in the presentation of the creatures and a plot that only gives away bits and pieces of its lead characters. The action is layered with some shaky cam, just so that the creatures' appearance isn't entirely given away; that's a creative decision I can applaud. That said, the plot advancement remains utterly predictable.

It's an okayish affair that progressively sees less involvement from Cage, but they establish the brothers' equation fairly well for us to believe in their survival journeys. Jaeden Martell (from It), especially, is a promising talent. A needless love angle is also introduced, only to bring more characters that the monsters can munch on. I'm also curious how the dog in the film survived the whole ordeal, though I'm glad he did :)

Adroitly written dialogue, believable characters, nice special effects, creative enemy design and a coherent, concise story that makes sense. They also did away with a lot of detail for background to put us into the moment. Very much the essence of "less is more" in every scene and it works well. Nothing's missing, and there's just the right amount of what we need to know.

But is it a good film? It's work like this that makes me appreciate how complicated and involved filmmaking actually is. Arcadian is arguably a competent piece of work, but none of it will stay with me. I enjoyed everything I watched along with how it was put together, and yet had I not seen it at all that would have been okay too. This would also not be on my list of recommendations unless it was for a fan of the genre, and even then I would tell them to curb their expectations. There's something about the way it was shot that hurts the movie, and whatever it is reduces an otherwise decent film into something that's rather forgettable.

If you're a fan of the medium and appreciate the artistry I would say this is worth your time. If you're looking to passively enjoy something in this genre there are better options out there.

If you like dystopian sci-fi thrillers, this is a lovely little film. Fans of 28 Days Later and The Monster will appreciate this for what it is - good entertainment. It's not going to change your life, but it's a post-apocalyptic monster movie made with love and a lot of attention to detail.

Nicholas Cage plays it subtle and the mostly newcomer cast are, quite frankly, great. It's bleak, and it's scary enough to give you a buzz. The monsters are really original and the whole thing makes for a delightful little independent movie.

Personally, I hope there is a sequel - the world painted here is worth living in ... provided you bring a shot gun.