“Arcadian” is an average post apocalyptic survival story / creature feature. This horror thriller is too similar to other films to leave any kind of lasting or memorable impact, but it delivers enough amusement to serve as a mild distraction (and earn a very unenthusiastic recommendation).
Combining elements of “A Quiet Place” and “Stranger Things,” the narrative is one about things that go bump in the night. Earth has been torn apart by a deadly event, leaving very few humans alive. Among the lucky ones (if you can call it that) are two teenage brothers, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins) fight off deadly nocturnal creatures with their dad Paul (Nicolas Cage). When Paul is gravely injured, the boys seek refuge at a neighboring farmhouse, only to be turned away. The owners and their daughter (Sadie Soverall) eventually agree to take in Thomas, leaving Joseph on his own to tend to his dad and fend off the attacking monsters.
This isn’t a great story, and it’s very simple and almost too straightforward. There is nothing groundbreaking nor particularly creative here, but it’s still a solid genre movie. It’s slow yet never boring, and although their existence isn’t thoroughly explained, the creatures are frightening.
In several action sequences, director Benjamin Brewer banks on shaky handheld camera shots that, while they are intended to add excitement and urgency to the scenes, do neither. It’s annoying and nauseating, but I can understand the need to rely on them with such an obviously small budget.
The biggest disappointment is that Nicolas Cage is mostly wasted in a supporting performance. He’s as terrific as always, but when it comes time to deliver on what the audience came to see (Cage opening up a can of whoop ass on the deadly creatures), it’s a letdown.
I don’t have high praise for “Arcadian,” but it’s a decent enough ride. Think “film festival genre movie” and you’ll know if you’re the right fit for it or not.
