Most of the action of the film takes place 5 years after apocalypse in the forest. The main character who before the apocalypse was a cubicle worker survives 5 years in the forest and looks like just left the gym after heaving his hair trimmed. Neither his body or spirit are affected by the catastrophe. So maybe he is a superhero? Surprisingly all of the people are like that. As a result we have a fully nourished individuals chasing each other in the forest. Pretty much happy time? No, because there are a bad guys, paramilitary groups who supposedly rule the area, rape the women, take prisoners and have the cruel labor camps. Again the women kept by a the militants and gang raped multiple times look in the film like they just left the shopping mall on Saturday afternoon. The whole scenery as well as the plot make the film into something in between of Christian preachy film (with obvious not complicated characters) and porn (where people seem to be detached from the background they are put on). What could save the film? Probably more acting. It would be nice to watch a person trying to survive in the forest instead of a dude who just went for a walk to the park. Also women should have feelings, if not crying then with the mask of angry lesbian... anything.
17 Reviews
Kudos within reason
hoiair30 January 2010
Deadland is proof that you don't need a big budget in order to tell a compelling post-apocalyptic tale. Sure, special effects may help depict the terror that will undo the world, but if it's a post-apocalyptic tale you're telling, the emphasis should be about what happens after t...( read more)he destruction. And this movie does so very well.
Don't be fooled by its shoe-string budget or cast of unknown actors. The movie is full to the brim with great action, suspense and drama. The story of a man in search for his long-lost wife after the seeming decimation of society is a classic tale of overcoming adversity.
It's no "Road Warrior" neither in it excitement nor originality, but I imagine this would have been a very successful big budget film had it ever gotten that chance, not great, but worth watching.
Don't be fooled by its shoe-string budget or cast of unknown actors. The movie is full to the brim with great action, suspense and drama. The story of a man in search for his long-lost wife after the seeming decimation of society is a classic tale of overcoming adversity.
It's no "Road Warrior" neither in it excitement nor originality, but I imagine this would have been a very successful big budget film had it ever gotten that chance, not great, but worth watching.
Brain-deadland
pete1-223 May 2011
There's nothing worse than a B movie that pretends to be something more than it is, complete with misleading cover art on the DVD sleeve. A post apocalyptic tale can be action or drama or a combination of both. But when a film has such tight budget restraints that it only consists of bland soap opera style dialogue by seriously lame actors, it better at least have a decent script. Here we have a bunch of awful actors doing what can only be described as bad screen tests in the woods of Georgia for a painfully long 95 minutes. No action, no suspense, no direction, no nothing! What a rip off! How do these direct to video pieces of crap ever get made? The worst part of all is that these so-called actors have the nerve to do a Making Of featurette that tells of how hard they worked on their fine production. These egocentric losers are delusional! At least if they had some shootouts or some redeeming violence or exploitive rape sex scenes or a horde of brain eating zombies or anything cool I might have been able to say something positive about this horribly dull movie. I used to enjoy buying cheap DVDs from the bargain bin and having a good laugh...This movie has permanently killed the fun in that forever. From now on I will research DVDs to ensure they have something worth watching. Life is too short to waste on this SHITE!!! Thank you for allowing me to vent, IMDb. And to Billy Weeks and your gang of dud actor friends... Get new careers... YOU ALL SUCK SEVERELY as actors or writers or producers or directors!!!
Words cannot describe how awful this is...
Mr__Underhill4 January 2011
This film appears to use professional camera equipment, but that's where the similarities to a real movie end. I picked this up at the video store because the cover showed a post apocalyptic background and described itself as such. You expect Mad Max even if it's just a poor low budget version. The reality when you watch it is that it is a bunch of guys in camouflage fatigues running around in the woods. The plot is goofy and overly moral-agenda ridden, the dialogue consists of things nobody would say, and the actors' experience couldn't consist of more than a few commercials or a late night soft-core porn. This movie would remind me of a soft-core porn (in which the plot is superfluous) except that is cleans up everything but the implied violence, which the camera mostly cuts away.
As dead as they come
LOL101LOL11 December 2010
Damn where do they get this crap from? Terrible acting, over used storyline, directed and filmed by nobody's, and poor William Kat, had not seen him for years, he must be short of cash. Overall very poor B grade stuff, and I would give it a zero if I could,and I am running out of things to write, this is so lame and tame and a waste of your viewing time. I will copy and paste the above as I just can't add to this horror of a film.
Damn where do they get this crap from? Terrible acting, over used storyline, directed and filmed by nobody's, and poor William Kat, had not seen him for years, he must be short of cash. Overall very poor B grade stuff, and I would give it a zero if I could,and I am running out of things to write, this is so lame and tame and a waste of your viewing time. I will copy and paste the above as I just can't add to this horror of a film.
Damn where do they get this crap from? Terrible acting, over used storyline, directed and filmed by nobody's, and poor William Kat, had not seen him for years, he must be short of cash. Overall very poor B grade stuff, and I would give it a zero if I could,and I am running out of things to write, this is so lame and tame and a waste of your viewing time. I will copy and paste the above as I just can't add to this horror of a film.
This movie is worse than surgery.
lordsdisciple-954-28166918 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
OK, so this movie has a picture of the movies hero holding a gun, wearing a leather jacket and standing in front of a post apocalyptic city in ruins. The back of the movie describes it as a man +FIGHTING+ his way through slavers, mercenaries and the environment to save his wife. People have no food and money is worthless. It sounded good, until it started... First off, the hero never even touches a gun or a black leather jacket and he might even be wearing different shoes in the movie! Secondly he never really fights, he knocks one guy down and then refuses to kill him! There is no battle with the environment, he just walks through the woods, whining about saving his wife, until someone else saves her for him! Also, this movie is called Deadland, at the beginning it is mentioned that he must go through the deadlands to find his wife but at no time in the movie do they ever go into, past, by or even see the deadlands! I think I might have to sue the makers of this film for false advertising!!
not a bad flic...
zinglorion1 December 2010
Alright so while it is lacking in some things we've grown accustomed to in a story as expansive as Post-apacolyptic worlds, ie., BIG CGI, extravagant fight scenes, etc., I do think they had a pretty decent story going, if not the budget. I thought the acting was pretty good for the most part. Probably most impressive was the cinematography, some beautifully panned scenes. I would definitely agree with one of the other reviewers and say this is more of a sci-fi drama than action flic. A lot of the scenes were meant to take you into a post apacolyptic world full of despair and angst, this however feels a bit staged since many of the people interacting in the film are in good shape, clean/new clothes, etc. All in all, not a terrible movie for a rainy day and some popcorn on your couch.
move along nothing to see here. Seriously
makku_briz8 July 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Deadlands isn't a great movie. I'm a big fan of the post-apocalyptic genre but despite this being sold as such, its more akin to deliverance than anything else.
The plot is really un-inspiring, centering purely around the main character trying to find his estranged wife. He goes on a plodding journey meeting poorly acted, cardboard characters along the way, through what looks like a bland, bulk standard north-American forest, completely untouched by any sort of catastrophic nuclear war.
I had to struggle to get through this movie, there wasn't an ounce of depth or truth to any of the characters throughout the entire movie. I don't know why but for me the strongest example of this was when the main character+1 stumbles across a nice little cabin in the middle of the woods, occupied by what turns out to be a 'favours' girl, who mistakenly greets the two intruders with something like 'what will it be this time boys, schoolgirl or nurse?' in playful tones, only to discover they're two randoms, pulls a piece, a few seconds of wooden banter later and they're friends, she explains why the officers keep her out and how its nicer here and shes quite happy all considered (this IS a nuke- ravaged, plague-ridden, fascist-run, war-torn place after-all, I mean understandable you gotta do what you gotta do to get by right...) Then, some said officer's show up, main character+1 jump out the window and we're shown her interaction with one of them. She's wincing at his touch, verge of tears, shaking with fear... ummm, she was good enough at her job they they took her out of a slave camp,holed her up alone in a cabin, with a nice bed, food, coffee even, oh and fresh fruit, because y'know, nuclear war and the decimation of any semblance economy doesn't mean your local super-market wont be able to stock all your needs.. Yet she acting like this is the first time and she's being forced to give it up. By the way, to a man she even knows his first name, a first name he's sensitive about, which might possibly suggest him having opened up to her at one point...
All in all don't bother with this low-budget self-indulgence, these guys playing at being film-makers. Bad dialogue, bad acting, lackluster direction, lame motivation, half-arsed attempt to add some religious symbolism, crappy faux-twists that can barely be classified as such, heavy handed moralization all add up to a wasted 107mins. Oh, and for the record, just leeching the colour out of a film doesn't make it 'post-apocalytic'.
The plot is really un-inspiring, centering purely around the main character trying to find his estranged wife. He goes on a plodding journey meeting poorly acted, cardboard characters along the way, through what looks like a bland, bulk standard north-American forest, completely untouched by any sort of catastrophic nuclear war.
I had to struggle to get through this movie, there wasn't an ounce of depth or truth to any of the characters throughout the entire movie. I don't know why but for me the strongest example of this was when the main character+1 stumbles across a nice little cabin in the middle of the woods, occupied by what turns out to be a 'favours' girl, who mistakenly greets the two intruders with something like 'what will it be this time boys, schoolgirl or nurse?' in playful tones, only to discover they're two randoms, pulls a piece, a few seconds of wooden banter later and they're friends, she explains why the officers keep her out and how its nicer here and shes quite happy all considered (this IS a nuke- ravaged, plague-ridden, fascist-run, war-torn place after-all, I mean understandable you gotta do what you gotta do to get by right...) Then, some said officer's show up, main character+1 jump out the window and we're shown her interaction with one of them. She's wincing at his touch, verge of tears, shaking with fear... ummm, she was good enough at her job they they took her out of a slave camp,holed her up alone in a cabin, with a nice bed, food, coffee even, oh and fresh fruit, because y'know, nuclear war and the decimation of any semblance economy doesn't mean your local super-market wont be able to stock all your needs.. Yet she acting like this is the first time and she's being forced to give it up. By the way, to a man she even knows his first name, a first name he's sensitive about, which might possibly suggest him having opened up to her at one point...
All in all don't bother with this low-budget self-indulgence, these guys playing at being film-makers. Bad dialogue, bad acting, lackluster direction, lame motivation, half-arsed attempt to add some religious symbolism, crappy faux-twists that can barely be classified as such, heavy handed moralization all add up to a wasted 107mins. Oh, and for the record, just leeching the colour out of a film doesn't make it 'post-apocalytic'.
Thoroughly enjoyable film and performances. One for the escapists.
cae225 December 2010
This is one of those films you'll either love or hate. I obviously thoroughly enjoyed it. There's a certain B movie quality to it, but I have always been a fan of films of that level. B movie or not, it has been put together very well, and only suffered a few weak performances from very minor characters.
The performances of the key characters was faultless, in my opinion, and made me see the character and not the actor. Some of the lesser characters could have done with a little coaching to make them more believable, and stop me from viewing them from the actor's perspective rather than the character's.
All effects, scenery, and props were also without fault, and nothing looked out of place, taking the film subject into consideration.
The performances of the key characters was faultless, in my opinion, and made me see the character and not the actor. Some of the lesser characters could have done with a little coaching to make them more believable, and stop me from viewing them from the actor's perspective rather than the character's.
All effects, scenery, and props were also without fault, and nothing looked out of place, taking the film subject into consideration.
Not so bad post-apocalyptic adventure movie
krachtm20 November 2010
The relatively low rating (4.5, as of my review) led me to lower my expectations on this low budget, independent movie. I thought it could do with a little more editing and a tighter script, maybe with a bigger payoff at the end. After watching for nearly two hours, the subdued climax wasn't very filling.
Anyways, the meat of the movie concerns a muscle guy looking for his estranged wife, who left him just before World War III broke out. Strangely enough, the muscle guy is supposed to be cubicle worker, I think, and he never really does much hand-to-hand fighting. That leaves me wondering exactly how to classify this movie. I was expecting a scifi/martial arts/adventure movie, like JCVD's Cyborg or Universal Soldier, but this seems to have some pretensions toward being a scifi drama. Unfortunately, the story never really goes anywhere very exciting or interesting, though it kept my attention. If there had been more fight scenes and better stunt work, it would have been a good, poor man's JCVD movie. With a more intelligent script and better direction, it could have been a good, poor man's John Carpenter movie. In the end, we're left with what it is -- entertaining, yet not quite fulfilling. I was admittedly a bit generous in giving it a 7/10, but I think it was good attempt, even if it doesn't quite live up to the potential.
Anyways, the meat of the movie concerns a muscle guy looking for his estranged wife, who left him just before World War III broke out. Strangely enough, the muscle guy is supposed to be cubicle worker, I think, and he never really does much hand-to-hand fighting. That leaves me wondering exactly how to classify this movie. I was expecting a scifi/martial arts/adventure movie, like JCVD's Cyborg or Universal Soldier, but this seems to have some pretensions toward being a scifi drama. Unfortunately, the story never really goes anywhere very exciting or interesting, though it kept my attention. If there had been more fight scenes and better stunt work, it would have been a good, poor man's JCVD movie. With a more intelligent script and better direction, it could have been a good, poor man's John Carpenter movie. In the end, we're left with what it is -- entertaining, yet not quite fulfilling. I was admittedly a bit generous in giving it a 7/10, but I think it was good attempt, even if it doesn't quite live up to the potential.
Started alright, then went down to boredom
Lomedin25 January 2012
As my summary states, the beginning of this film creates a lot of expectation. OK, I am a fan of nuclear holocausts and post-apocalypse (or, well, used to be, since the latest releases -the book of eli, the road, deadland...- have been quite disappointing). This said, a quarter of an hour into the movie I found myself looking through the window instead of at the screen. The search of the man's woman becomes tedious, slow, boring and lacking action or direction. I like the Asian looking character who befriends him, although his weird attitude doesn't really save the film. Then I decided to watch it at double or triple the speed since I had a bad feeling of wasting my time. I set the speed back to normal towards the end, however the "climax" was nothing of sorts and the overall feeling when the end credits started to roll was that of what have I done with my life for the past hour. Considerable attempt that stayed in failure.
Very misleading cover, impotent acting, story, and delivery.
aaron_distortedreality4 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I'm not sure the director, writers, actors, and crew really knew what they were trying to pull off here. thumbs up to the DP for a different over all look and feel, but its not original enough to separate it from other post apocalyptic films. this was little more then a "The Road" clone shot for thousands of dollars cheaper. the dry or highly overacted actors made me cringe more then the imminent danger and insanity of people left to survive the aftermath of such event. they don't seem to notice the currant situation of the destroyed world, other then some vague mentions of medication and the plague not hunger or radiation. its so over-dramatized in its flashback love story, but gives us nothing to find a connection with the characters so that we will care about their reunion. the cover of the DVD case delivers a different feel then what this movie even represents (main protagonist wearing a leather jacket, gloves and belt of shotgun shells wielding a sawed-off double barrel shotgun.) none of this ever is seen in the film. the protagonist never actually holds of fires a weapon at all. the reverse side of the DVD box has him firing an M-16 rifle, none such exist in the film. pictures of an abandoned city are seen on the cover and reverse. but the whole film is set in either the forests in Georgia or interiors set in L.A. Nevertheless this film is what is is, a low-budget version of "The Road" shaky at best. its bound to be some sort of low-budget cult movie.
Horrible Horrible Movie
woodsy91627 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
if you see this movie, then buy it, just so you can destroy it so no one else can watch it. that's how bad this movie is. and don't bother with all the comments about what this movie could of been, it doesn't matter because it wasn't any of that.
do not watch this movie, it is a waste of time. time you will never get back.
so my review did not have enough lines. so i will explain more why this movie sucked. for starters the story line, although a good idea in theory, went no where, he spent half the movie walking around a forest, sometimes running, there was no character development, the acting was rigid and had no depth to it. the script was predictable and played out exactly how you thought it would.
even the ending was more anti climatic then anything. this movie just failed to deliver on every aspect.
do not watch this movie, it is a waste of time. time you will never get back.
so my review did not have enough lines. so i will explain more why this movie sucked. for starters the story line, although a good idea in theory, went no where, he spent half the movie walking around a forest, sometimes running, there was no character development, the acting was rigid and had no depth to it. the script was predictable and played out exactly how you thought it would.
even the ending was more anti climatic then anything. this movie just failed to deliver on every aspect.
Dead in the Water Land
JoeS201527 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
First off I am a big fan of post apocalyptic movies & aside from 80's wasteland movies, I thought I had seen them all. I give it an extra star for the first 5 minutes, with the news reports & the nukes going off. But after that it goes downhill fast, more like it falls off a steep cliff. The whole movie is filmed in the woods & you never see any post apocalyptic cities just woods full of bad actors and and an Asian guy who you can't understand. Let's talk about the plot or lack of, fast forward (not a bad idea) to five years after the blast and the main character is tromping through the woods looking for his lost wife. There are all kinds of paramilitary types, apparently different groups, you have to guess who's who because they don't explain anything, there is also talk of a plague again it's kind of vague. Bottom line is; this movie looks like it was done by a high school drama class. If you want to see a good low budget post apocalyptic film see "The Day" (2011) or Chryslis (2014)
A D grade movie dressed up in B grade clothing
brendan-26820 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I watch a lot of films, and this would have to be one of the worst I've seen in several years.
Not only does this movie suffer under the burden of a terrible script, a total lack of direction, bad editing and average sound editing, it is also riddled with cheesy clichés, terrible acting and really bizarre happenings that just don't make a lot of sense.
In places this movie got so bad I actually found myself laughing out loud at what I was seeing.
Ultimately I think the major flaws in this film are:
1. It's simple and potentially interesting plot was made unnecessarily complicated and boring by the way the story was structured, executed and edited (just consider the number of bad guys and subplots involved in this film - when it should have had a very clear antagonist, and a very straight-forward plot, with maybe one or two minor subplots thrown in to pad out the story)
2. More plot holes than you could poke a stick at, i.e. -Why did the bulletproof vest suddenly work at the end of the movie when it's earlier colossal failure was one of the key plot points? -Who was the guy at the beginning who gave him the Bible? -How did his wife end up becoming a prisoner in the first place? -How did the tongueless prostitute escape, and why did she have a bandage over her mouth? -How did the United Provinces even come into existence? -If food is "impossible to find" (as the DVD cover proclaims) why does every character look well fed, with many actually being overweight -Why do we never see the 'deadlands' which are a central part of the plot? -What are the pills the plague victims are taking, and who made them? -Why does "money hold no worth" (as proclaimed by the DVD cover) even though there is a functioning system of government? -Why don't the people who live in the fertile forest, with lots of clean fresh water, grow their own vegetables, or farm meat, etc?
3. A poorly crafted script riddled with terrible dialog and absolutely no character arc
4. Bad acting. The key issue here was the fact that the main protagonist couldn't actually act very well at all, and this dragged the whole film down. The actress playing the wife didn't do too bad a job, and William Katt's cameo was not bad, however the acting from Gary Weeks was just cringe worthy, and as a result the whole film collapsed - he was the Jar Jar Binks of this production.
5. This movie lacked realism - in the sense that it didn't realistically portray the apocalyptic world that it claimed to be all about. The entire film takes place in a lush and fertile forest, with well fed characters and people who don't actually seem that dissatisfied or distraught by the supposedly "all is lost" world they are living in. Even the great evil of forced prostitution doesn't seem to be that big a deal for the characters. It's hard to accept the core premise of this movie (that it's supposed to take place in a bleak and hopeless post-apocalyptic world ravaged by chaos and suffering) when there is actually a strong system of structured government in place - and without that core premise there is no threat to the characters, and therefore no real drama, and ultimately there is no plot.
This movie was just plain terrible, and I can't help but suspect that the one or two glowing reviews it has received here were actually written by members of the cast and crew - or maybe their mothers.
Not only does this movie suffer under the burden of a terrible script, a total lack of direction, bad editing and average sound editing, it is also riddled with cheesy clichés, terrible acting and really bizarre happenings that just don't make a lot of sense.
In places this movie got so bad I actually found myself laughing out loud at what I was seeing.
Ultimately I think the major flaws in this film are:
1. It's simple and potentially interesting plot was made unnecessarily complicated and boring by the way the story was structured, executed and edited (just consider the number of bad guys and subplots involved in this film - when it should have had a very clear antagonist, and a very straight-forward plot, with maybe one or two minor subplots thrown in to pad out the story)
2. More plot holes than you could poke a stick at, i.e. -Why did the bulletproof vest suddenly work at the end of the movie when it's earlier colossal failure was one of the key plot points? -Who was the guy at the beginning who gave him the Bible? -How did his wife end up becoming a prisoner in the first place? -How did the tongueless prostitute escape, and why did she have a bandage over her mouth? -How did the United Provinces even come into existence? -If food is "impossible to find" (as the DVD cover proclaims) why does every character look well fed, with many actually being overweight -Why do we never see the 'deadlands' which are a central part of the plot? -What are the pills the plague victims are taking, and who made them? -Why does "money hold no worth" (as proclaimed by the DVD cover) even though there is a functioning system of government? -Why don't the people who live in the fertile forest, with lots of clean fresh water, grow their own vegetables, or farm meat, etc?
3. A poorly crafted script riddled with terrible dialog and absolutely no character arc
4. Bad acting. The key issue here was the fact that the main protagonist couldn't actually act very well at all, and this dragged the whole film down. The actress playing the wife didn't do too bad a job, and William Katt's cameo was not bad, however the acting from Gary Weeks was just cringe worthy, and as a result the whole film collapsed - he was the Jar Jar Binks of this production.
5. This movie lacked realism - in the sense that it didn't realistically portray the apocalyptic world that it claimed to be all about. The entire film takes place in a lush and fertile forest, with well fed characters and people who don't actually seem that dissatisfied or distraught by the supposedly "all is lost" world they are living in. Even the great evil of forced prostitution doesn't seem to be that big a deal for the characters. It's hard to accept the core premise of this movie (that it's supposed to take place in a bleak and hopeless post-apocalyptic world ravaged by chaos and suffering) when there is actually a strong system of structured government in place - and without that core premise there is no threat to the characters, and therefore no real drama, and ultimately there is no plot.
This movie was just plain terrible, and I can't help but suspect that the one or two glowing reviews it has received here were actually written by members of the cast and crew - or maybe their mothers.
Fantastic Post-Apocalyptic Action Thriller
betsymalone24723 June 2010
Where will you be
what will you do
and how will you protect your loved one's in a post-apocalyptic world? The sci-fi action/thriller DEADLAND plunges you into a world of martial law, and takes you along the journey of Sean (Gary Weeks) a survivor of World War III's nuclear strikes on the U.S. A pandemic reigns as many survivors were infected by a fatal nuclear plague and separated into different concentration camps by Officers of the New Provinces. The quest starts when the protagonist finds evidence that his missing wife (Emily-Grace Murray) may still be alive in the new United Provinces. His determination to find her is equal to his personal war against the cruel Officers of the New Provinces. Jax (Brian Tee) an unexpected ally brings a bit of humor to the realistic struggles in the action filled drama. DEADLAND visually demonstrates our fear as well as our hope in a post-apocalyptic world.
Director Damon O'Steen, and writer/producer Gary Weeks, present a fantastic post-apocalyptic thriller considering their budget. All aspects of the film were impressive with excellent cinematography, moving score, superb acting, and great direction. You will not be disappointed in this indie film that visually portrays a depressing yet hopeful future. I found this gem at the Derby City Film Festival February 2010 and loved it! -3rd Dog Script aka Betsy Malone © 2010
Director Damon O'Steen, and writer/producer Gary Weeks, present a fantastic post-apocalyptic thriller considering their budget. All aspects of the film were impressive with excellent cinematography, moving score, superb acting, and great direction. You will not be disappointed in this indie film that visually portrays a depressing yet hopeful future. I found this gem at the Derby City Film Festival February 2010 and loved it! -3rd Dog Script aka Betsy Malone © 2010
A cool and thoughtful little post-nuke survivalist opus
Woodyanders14 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Decent and determined survivor Sean Kalos (a fine and engaging performance by Gary Weeks, who also wrote the engrossing script) searches the harsh and barren wasteland for his missing wife Katie Johnson (a solid and appealing portrayal by the fetching Emily-Grace Murray) after a nuclear war devastates the country and causes civilization to fall apart. Sean runs afoul of both plague victims and brutal mercenaries and inspires hope in others he encounters during his odyssey. Director Damon O'Steen smartly eschews flashy pyrotechnics and mindless action to focus instead on a simple, moving, and involving human story. Indeed, this movie is given surprisingly substantial poignancy and dramatic resonance by the likable hero's touching and single-minded quest to be reunited with his beloved spouse. Weeks holds the picture together with his sturdy and charismatic presence; he receives strong support from Brian Tees as the scruffy Jax, William Katt as loopy code breaker Shiv, William Colquitt as the ruthless Commander Rufler, Davis Neeves as sweet and helpful prostitute Zoona, Harrison Page as wise underground resistance leader Red, Cullen Douglas as antsy worrywart Nathaniel, Chad Matthews as the conflicted P.O. Harris, and Brandon Waits as crude sleazeball P.O. Clarence. The moments of fierce violence are genuinely upsetting without being too nasty or graphic. The grim and desolate post-apocalyptic environment is plausibly depicted while the bright flashbacks are well integrated into the main narrative. Moreover, this picture makes an interesting point about the severe emotional price one pays to survive at any cost. The conclusion is very powerful and affecting. Rueben Steinberg's washed-out cinematography gives the film an effectively bleak grayish look. Patrick Morganelli's harmonic score likewise does the trick. A real sleeper.
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