Lost in Apocalypse (2018)

A group of seemingly unrelated individuals fight their way out of a virus-infested hotel, only to find themselves at a worse place than before.

Director:

Sky Wang

Writers:

Sky Wang (screenplay), Baiying Wu (story)

Stars:

Martin Yang, Mingyi Yang, E'Naan Zhang

156 wins & 58 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Yang	...	Jack (as Tianming Yang)
Mingyi Yang	...	Rich (as Yang Yang)
E'Naan Zhang	...	Helen (as Yinan Zhang)
Ray Wang	...	Michael (as Yuchao Wang)
Fengzhu Jia	...	Bureau Director
Qianhua Chen	...	Cindy
Simpson Tang	...	Greg (as Xin Tang)
Man Yang	...	Principal
Caesar Zhang	...	Bureau Director Assistant (as Xiaoze Zhang)
Senchen Tang	...	Principal Assistant
Zhenghong Li	...	Driver Ted
Yi Zhang	...	Delivery Man 1
Cheng Liu	...	Delivery Man 2
Hao Liu	...	Lobby Manager
Yue Bai	...	Female Tenant

Storyline

Mystery unfolds as a group of individuals are confronted by undead forces outside of an abandoned factory. Rewinding their encounters only one day before, the major players of the group go about their business as usual. As they all unwittingly gather up at a local hotel for personal reasons, an unexplanatory virus breaks out that turns people into blood-lusting beings. Consequentially, the characters are stuck at the penthouse suite they were having lunch in. As time passes, the group decides to make a run for survival before battling down to the parking lot. Through struggle, betrayal, and loss, the remaining individuals desperately make it out of the hotel alive and arrive at the factory where we first meet them. While this is only a temporary haven, they are tested once again by new circumstances. Who amongst them will survive?

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Plot Keywords:

zombie | apocalypse | hotel | factory | end of world | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Adapted from the graphic novel by Ruibo Cao of Tencent Comics. Though the film shares in similar themes and certain character names with its namesake, the storyline is independent from the source material.

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Crazy Credits

There is a mid-credit scene, showing a mysterious hand reaching out of the trunk of the car, which Helen and Cindy drive away in.

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Soundtracks

End of Era
Written by 'Left Right Band'
Performed by 'Left Right Band'
Courtesy of Kanjian.com

User Reviews

Lost In Apocalypse

Sky Wang's "Lost in Apocalypse" deals with a propitious message of sacrifice and survival which through most of the plot plays the titular role through its characters. It reflects a clear image of everything that is and everything that is yet to be seen and yet it is all revolving around the same circle of life. With fleeting memories of films with strong messages, Sky gives us this light-hearted drama staying strong on the paths he wants to convey. He controls the pivotal leverage of the story binding it emotionally as it progresses which makes it even more interesting. The story's main focus is on nepotism and its exploitation through and through, brought forward by ominous twists and turns of events. The protagonists are all interconnected through their emotions and situations and either empathize or reject each other emotionally. They also belong to different age groups and have different roles to play in the society. Malice and power bring forward the harsh truth of this story where a virus-stricken city puts its inhabitants in the dire exigency of survival.



From time to time, the plot exploits the basic notions of all its characters taking good note of their behavior and their decisions. From a story's point of view though, I wish it hadn't become so predictable, which we can see through the exploitation of female characters either through sexual misuse, masochistic approaches by men in power, exploitation of the needy and helpless and so on. The main characters consist of - a man in an important position, a school headmistress, a mafia, two television reporters, a driver and a survivor of viral zombie-driven genocide. Each of the characters is a perfectionist when it comes to the roles they play, be it the man who dropped out of college to support his mother's treatment or the girl who is led to the paths of youth exploitation to satiate the loneliness of an old man. We also see hidden innocence in each character which is subdued due to the hurdles that each one of them has tackled. Nonetheless, in extreme situations, each character creates their identity impact on the situations and play through their individuality.



When we begin watching this film, we would expect a blood-bathed gore film with disturbing images that would want you to get up and leave. But I am impressed by the director's outtake to turn this into a story which raised the stakes high for the filmmakers of today, especially the ones doing horror or science-fiction.

When one looks at the technical aspects of the film, we would see that Sky has technically mastered the making of a film. The lights, the right amount of sound and the choice of the sounds that he picks up are very distinct and very important when one makes a film of this genre. It is indeed very evident that he knows his trade. Not only is it a visual spectacle arranged with precision and care but it will also give you something to ponder upon once you finish watching it. There is a fine line between craft and art and when you come across this film, you will find both in a perfect blend. What is least expected but was amazed to see was this very feature.



All in all, through this film, I've found a way to connect myself back to the basic human needs and stances where we are all weak and we need to make a call and decide where we want to see ourselves and how much are we willing to sacrifice to be that person who provides for everyone or not. "Lost in Apocalypse" will trigger your mind to think in a twisted manner but then again it will align you in the path of truth, to acknowledge the anomalies of the human mind and to learn to accept it as it comes. If I had to sum this film up in one line, it would be "The Awakening of Human conscience albeit through acceptance." Directed by Sky Wang Review by Nabadipa Talukder

Details

Official Sites:

Douban Official Facebook

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

19 January 2018 (China)

Also Known As:

Lost in Apocalypse

Filming Locations:

Beijing, China

Box Office

Budget:

CNY2,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tencent Pictures, iQiyi Motion Pictures(Beijing) Co., Sina Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo Dolby Digital D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1