Having already been released in America, Benjamin Brewer’s Arcadian has now finally arrived into cinemas across the UK. The film stars Nicolas Cage as the father to two, very different sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins), in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. By day, the trio do chores and hunt for food, but by night they must stave off the strange creatures that seek to overthrow humanity.
Despite its inclusion of monsters, and its end of the world setting, Arcadian is more of a coming-of-age story. The film follows Joseph and Thomas as they navigate growing pains, first loves, and becoming men. In our review out of SXSW we praised Arcadian’s many layers, as well as the fantastic performances, noting, ‘Arcadian goes hard on the coming-of-age drama without ever forgetting its sci-fi and horror DNA.’ The creatures are another of Arcadian’s many strengths, director Benjamin Brewer being careful to never show too much. Rather than reveal these beasts in their entirety, Brewer instead choses a different aspect or angle in each encounter, allowing the viewer to try and piece together their nightmarish visage for themselves.
Arcadian will no doubt find an audience based on the inclusion of Nicolas Cage alone, but this film is a testament to the talent of all involved, especially Benjamin Brewer. His ability to craft tension is remarkable, and he has birthed one of the best ‘monster’ designs in years. An early scene featuring the creatures is sure to keep some up at night. Ahead of the UK release of Arcadian, THN were granted time with Brewer, during which we discussed the themes of the film, what Nic Cage brings to a project and whether or not his fantastic Sundance short A Folded Ocean (seek it out if you haven’t seen it) could become his next feature.
Arcadian is in UK cinemas now.
