Day of the Survivalist (1986) User Reviews

Muddled Action Takes Place In Remote Region, Remote From Reality.

[rsoonsa · 2/10 · 15 February 2006]

This lively but crude affair, imitative of many that deal with sociopathic "survivalists", and purportedly based upon a "true incident" as a viewer is sombrely instructed in the initial frame with a voice-over reading of printed text, violates most rules of logic in its plot and, while its budget is plainly meagre, a largely inexperienced cast and crew obviously derive more pleasure from it than will an audience. In an essentially ludicrous melodrama that the players take seriously, opening action is of some documentary footage shot during the Viet Nam war, apparently to guarantee that the film's protagonist, "Fletcher", will be identified as a veteran of that conflict. He is then seen in his Los Angeles area condo after being shot in the head by an intruder, and while being attended to by paramedics, is quaintly asked by a police officer: "It's just a graze; do you want to go to a hospital?" (one can only guess at the extensivity of liability implications). Following this traumatic incident, Fletcher reacts strongly to a television commercial advertising property for sale in Western Oregon's Rogue River region, leaves his rented home and moves to the Pacific Northwest to begin life anew, opening an archery supply store near Jacksonville, Oregon (all named locations in the movie are authentic) where he is soon contacted by members of a small band of survivalists who meet with him at a local night spot where a pause is taken from the storyline as we watch a country group fittingly perform a simple minded song. While attempting to enlist Fletcher into their small group, the survivalists foolishly reveal to him grandiose plans to destroy the valley's four entry points subsequent to an expected nuclear holocaust, placing the little cabal in a position of supreme authority over the other local residents. Fletcher decides not to become involved, and the remainder of a dully directed and rather amateurish production involves his efforts to survive the fury of the survivalists.