Family is stronger than fear in Arcadian, the new movie starring Nicolas Cage. But can it stand strong or does it fall aside weakly?
Nicolas Cage has made lower-budget movies in recent years. Instead of the big-budget blockbusters we would expect, he seems to favour smaller, independent projects. Many of these have either gone straight to streaming or had a limited theatrical release. His latest movie, Arcadian, opens in UK cinemas this Friday. The movie is a science fiction horror thriller, set in the near future where creatures come out at night to hunt and stalk, kill and devour us mere humans. But deep down, it is a family drama above all else. Featuring support from Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, Sadie Soverall, and Samantha Coughlan, the film runs for 92 minutes. But can the film stand strong against the threat of the roaming monsters? Or does it fall aside to be devoured by bigger fare weakly?
PREMISE
In the near future, normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquillity by day and torment by night. Every night, after the sun sets, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil. One day, when Thomas doesn’t return home before sundown, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him. A nightmarish battle ensues that forces the family to execute a desperate plan to survive.
THOUGHTS
The film is pretty good, to be honest. It won’t win any awards or be credited for originality, but it passes the time well enough. With the three main stars giving strong performances, the film does enough to keep us entertained and interested. Filmed completely in Ireland, the film looks good, the sound is decent, and the creatures themselves are scary enough. Think of a cross between the Predator hound from Predators, and several other monsters from other movies, throw them together and you have the nasties from the film. Although the film doesn’t contain too many in the way of jump scares, it does feature some decent enough horror and blood to keep gore hounds happy.
NICOLAS CAGE
Nicolas Cage toplines the film, as you’d expect. But he is almost like a special guest star here. He is the first character to appear on the screen and he does appear for a good 45 minutes of the film before being sidelined for the younger actors. How this happens, you will need to discover for yourself. He does return at the film’s climax but by then, our interest has shifted to the three young adults and their performances.
Nicolas Cage is good here, in a film that is one of the better ones he has acted in for quite a while. His performance as Paul, the father of two young sons is emotional. Paul has seen what is happening outside the locked and barred doors of his home at night and is determined to protect his boys, no matter what. His fears are backed up by an inner strength that shines through.
JAEDEN MARTELL AND MAXWELL JENKINS
Jaeden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins play Paul’s sons, Joseph and Thomas. Although they are brothers, the pair are the polar opposite of each other. Joseph is the quiet, stay-at-home and help Dad kind. He reads and designs things that may help the family and helps repair the damage the creatures cause on the outside of the family home every morning. He also is working on restoring an old vehicle that will help the trio with their daily gatherings. Jaeden Martell gives a restrained performance here, allowing his emotional core to shine through. We can see deep down though that he is stronger than we are led to believe. When push comes to shove, he will be the one with the strength and backbone to stand tall against the creatures.
Maxwell Jenkins as Thomas is 100% different. He is the frustrated type, the one who has to push the boundaries as far as they can go. Although not defiant towards his father and his fears, he seeks to stretch his wings, to be allowed to do whatever he wants without being confined. He continually goes to the Rose family farm daily to help out, which is of course a ruse to get near their daughter, Charlotte. Thomas is infatuated with her, a feeling that is reciprocated. But it is this that almost leads to disaster for him as he is caught outside in the dark. Injuring himself, he has to hide from the creatures while Paul attempts a desperate rescue before his son is killed. Maxwell Jenkins performs well in his role as the rebellious teen. By the climax, he too stands tall alongside his brother.
SADIE SOVERALL
Sadie Soverall as Charlotte starts as the token love interest for Thomas. But before things are over, she also finds the inner strength to stand against the creatures and defend her man. For the most part, Sadie Soverall brings some emotion to the proceedings, giving us a performance that makes us care for Charlotte and hope she lives to see the end credits. By the time the film gets to the final stand, she is shocked, emotional, and covered in blood. The young actress gives a great performance, showing she too has a great career ahead of her and the two young actors. Between them, the three make for a terrific trio.
VERDICT
Arcadian is an enjoyable little time waster that does bring the scares and the horror. But it is primarily a story about a family trying to survive against the odds. The film contains enough heart, emotion, and drama to hold the interest throughout. The special effects are good, the creatures are not ones you’d want to meet at any time. And on the whole, makes for a worthwhile watch. It isn’t as action-packed as some may like or want but it’s nice to see a movie like this that doesn’t stand or fall on its violence and gore. It stands on its own two feet as a drama that just happens to contain some horror, frights and blood during its run time.
By the time the credits roll at the end, we leave the screen somewhat satisfied. The film doesn’t sate our appetite completely but does just enough to sustain us for a while. It is a smaller film that actually is better than some of the larger movie content that has hit the screens so far this year. It isn’t for everyone but for those who enjoy a decent night at the movies, you could do far worse than checking the film out. I mean, Nicolas Cage, in a horror movie battling nasty monsters and caring for his two sons. What more could you ask for? A worthy little gem to be sure.
Arcadian will be in cinemas on Friday, courtesy of Vertigo Releasing.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
