Review: Arcadian

One new subgenre that seems to be popping up a lot lately is the "stay in the remote cabin and don't make any noise" concept. Call it Quiet Place Syndrome. I'm finding for the most part, these have all been pretty good. Benjamin Brewer's "Arcadian" is the newest entry.

For a lower budget movie, this one has a certain ambition that rises above it in many respects. It has to be very tricky being bogged down with a budget, but not fully compromising on your vision.

The film opens on a tremendous tracking shot of Paul (Nicolas Cage), running through a back road of a dystopian near-future, likely boosting supplies for his newborn sons. Cut to 15 years later, and things are much, much different.

The teen boys, Joseph and Thomas, help Paul maintain the property. Thomas uses spare time to help a neighboring farm maintain, while Joseph is mechanically inclined and works tirelessly in the garage. 

At nightfall, the trio barricade themselves inside the house, and try to prevent...something, from getting inside. 

Brewer takes an indifferent approach to the origin of the, ahem, visitors. His mindset: they're here. Deal with it.

The design on the visitors appears quite hokey at first look, but the design becomes much more apparent as the film progresses. Between a creepily odd form of transportation, and a signature move that is equal parts hilarious and scary, it's pretty well done for the most part.

Cage leads the charge with a very laid back and nuanced performance. His presence clearly inspires the rest of the cast to act their asses off, and it works. The 2 boys incorporate different sides of their father into their day to day. Both exhibit fear of the unknown, and yet boyhood curiosity, which gets them in serious trouble more than once.

There is not much terror or violence to speak of. While the final act devolves the story to the standard fight for survival angle, and there are a few jarring moments, this film is kept much more on the character front, and that's not a complaint. You care about these characters, and most of the actions that transpire make sense. Most.

Cage yet again proves that he's an absolute gem of an actor. He can always seem to wring out gold from some very unexpected roles, and his interest in dystopian futures has become much more apparent in recent years. He could easily coast on his name in films like this, and yet he still commands the screen. His seasoned survivor is introspective, touching, and still pretty badass.

It appears the biggest threat to the visitors is the human spirit, and our survival instincts. "Arcadian"'s contribution would be to always utilize the second floor of your home as best as possible, and if you've done your job right as a parent, you will get to see your sons carve out some hope for the future, even in hopeless times.