Two things can be true at the same time. Arcadian, the new domestic post-apocalyptic drama by Benjamin Brewer and produced by Saturn Films, includes one of the best scenes in creature horror in recent years, which marvelously conceals the film’s low budget while also being a truly inspiring feat. However, it has an incredibly clumsy exposition, exemplified by a conversation between two characters where they dare each other to describe how the world ended in ten seconds. This central tension, between highly effective horror and several haphazard storytelling decisions, makes Arcadian a serviceable thriller that is anchored by great performances by Nicolas Cage and Jaeden Martell, but it pales in comparison with other renditions of life after the end of the world.
Michael Nilon’s script takes us to multiple years after the end of contemporary civilization. The reasons for the collapse are never quite clear, even if pollution, disease, or war are all implied. Instead, Arcadian focuses on Paul (Nicolas Cage), who is raising his two sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins), on a farm. The two kids have drastically opposing personalities. Joseph is quiet and introverted while Thomas is fond of the outdoors and bolder. During the day, they forage the surrounding areas for supplies and interact with their neighbors. Yet, at night, they have to hide from the attacks of mysterious creatures. When a creature mysteriously injures Paul, the two siblings must learn to overcome their differences and understand what it means to grow up in a world that has seemingly lost its future.
Nothing clear, but nothing new?
It’s hard not to think about similar films about families trying to survive after the end of the world when we are introduced to the world of Arcadian. However, unlike its peers A Quiet Place or Bird Box, which stand out for their rigid rules and commitment to sensory deprivation horrors, Arcadian is never clear about the logic of the behavior of the monsters. We just know they come at night. While that can be incredibly effective as a mechanism for creating fear, as the undefined threat seems always present, it ends up muddling the first two-thirds of the movie, which do not present enough information to adequately connect with the characters. This makes the technically well-executed horror vastly less effective.
Frank Mobilio’s cinematography further emphasizes this disconnection by incorporating an overwhelming amount of shaky cameras. While shaky cameras can be effective when used sparingly, fully immersing the audience in violent and frenetic scenes, their prevalent use in what would otherwise be beautiful stable shots feels like the filmmakers are overcorrecting the audience’s disconnection caused by the script.
Scary creatures and great performances.
Nevertheless, the shaky camera, in conjunction with the usage of darkness, shadows, and the constant hiding of the creatures behind doors and windows, are some of the ways in which director Brewer masterfully conceals the film’s budgetary limitations and uses them to create meaningful and engaging horror moments, like the one mentioned in the beginning of the review. All of this leads up to the final reveal of the creatures, which are incredibly creative, sticky, and just weird. Even the way they move as a group is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s The Thing or Ridley Scott’s Alien but does not resemble any contemporary peer in the creature horror genre.
Cage excels in every scene despite his limited screen time, and although the premise seems to invoke a more over-the-top Cage, it’s quite nice to see him take a more subtle and grounded approach with the character. However, Martell delivers the most surprising performance of the film. This young actor, who has had solid performances in Knives Out or the mini-series Defending Jacob, impressively approaches Joseph’s character development from a quiet and introverted child to a resolute problem-solver, indicating a great career ahead of him.
It truly is a shame that a movie like Arcadian doesn’t have a better script. Its effective approach to horror, its wonderful performances, and its inventive creature design are wonderful on their own, and make the movie worth watching despite the poorly crafted script lurking in the darkness.
Arcadian is now playing in theaters. Watch the trailer below.
REVIEW RATING
Based in Mexico, Pedro Graterol is the News editor for TV and Film of InBetweenDrafts. He is a Venezuelan political scientist, violist, and a nerd of all things pop culture. His legal signature includes Sonic The Hedgehog’s face.
