Signature Entertainment presents The Survivalist on Digital Platforms 11th October.
Synopsis
A year and a half after the fall of civilisation, a former FBI agent is forced to protect the one person who could bring humanity back from the brink. With a bloodthirsty gang hot on their trail, the future looks bleak. They can keep moving or stand and fight, either way; there will be blood. Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings), John Malkovich (Con Air) and Jenna Leigh Green (Skin), The Survivalist was directed by Jon Keeyes (The Harrowing) and written by Matthew Rogers.
Review
It was inevitable that the global pandemic would bleed in to movie industry. The scenario is slowly seeping in to every available genre and making its presence known on screens around the world.
With The Survivalist director by Jon Keeyes and writer by Matthew Rogers aim for something a little more post-apocalyptic. The film, which completed production before the Delta-variant emerged, posits what could happen in a so-called Delate variant were to make the virus lose all control.
In this version of America all society has crumbled with only pockets of humanity left alive. We’re first introduced to Ruby Modine’s Sarah. She’s on the run with her brother whilst a group of land pirates hunt her down. Why you ask? Well they see her as a potential cure to the virus but, spoiler alert, she may not be the answer they were hoping for. When the pirates catch up to them, Sarah ventures on alone to find Ben (Rhys Meyers) who is holed up in his remote farm.
Much of the movie takes place with Ben and on his farmland. The story features multiple flashbacks which fill in the gaps on his family life, simultaneously padding out the simplistic present day setup. The two storyline are well executed but neither hugely impacts on the other leaving The Survivalist feeling a little like two movies mashing together.
Those so-called pirates are led by Aaron (John Malkovich), who believes he is some kind of messiah who has been tasked with saving humanity. His commitment to the cause is easily one of the film’s highlights with Malkovich putting in a typically spirited performance. But whilst the film’s low budget thriller roots are strong, its attempt to flesh out the world with heavier character beats are where The Survivalist lets itself down.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers puts in a strong performance as Ben. His scenes with his father are well acted and show a broader ranger to his acting ability. Likewise in the present day his conviction to protecting Sarah is convincing and sizzles on the screen.
Keeyes keen direction certainly builds tension well. A standoff between Ben and a truck full of Aaron’s henchman shows there are flourishes of something more original underneath. There’s a push and pull between the flashbacks and the action, using those pre-pandemic moments to break up the action. But as I said, other than informing the audience about Ben’s past, the flashbacks to little to drive the overall narrative.
The Survivalist works perfectly to its low budget. There are no long, drawn out, VFX sequences to cheapen the visuals. Instead the film opts to remain in tight and in closed quarters. Whilst many will question whether the film is capitalising on the pandemic fears of many viewers, there’s no doubt that the intention was to use the familiar to create a compelling viewing experience.
Verdict
The Survivalist speaks to a potential future which feels all the more possible after the last 18 months. A strong performance from Jonathan Rhys Meyers elevates a relatively by-the-book pandemic thriller.
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