Arcadian

A nice little post-apocalyptic intimate survival drama with nice monsters! You could say it's a low-budget little sibling of A Quiet Place, which is of course a level above, but the effort counts. The planet has been destroyed it's a bit annoying that we don't get to know why or how, but immediately the film focuses on Nicolas Cage, who survives with his two sons following a routine during the day as the monsters attack at night. The first half is quite slow and intimate, but it gets noticeably better as the monsters arrive. I commend the original design of the monsters and the use of practical effects (the way they knock their faces off was excellent and creepy, and the sound!). The finale is pleasantly action packed, so definitely an enjoyable monster genre film. It could could have more gore and Cage could could have started a chainsaw by the end and played Ash from Evil Dead – I would have jumped for joy, but I'm satisfied. Emotionally on a strong 3, but I'm feel generous given the current rating, and also for that crazy jump-scare at the 20 minute mark, that one really got me. 65% (05/03/2024)

A good choice for today's Father's Day, as the film is set in a post-apocalyptic environment where a father of twins tries to survive each night in a barricaded house and fend off monster attacks. The tension is palpable, and the atmosphere is brilliant. Cage delivers a solid performance. The only thing I'm unsure about is the visual design of the monsters—in one scene, they are absolutely creepy, but in the next, they look like something out of a comic strip. Overall, though, it's a well-executed horror movie. (06/16/2024)