Having previously worked together on The Trust, director Benjamin Brewer and Nicolas Cage have re-teamed for Arcadian. Based on a script by Michael Nilon, Cage’s producing partner and the writer of Braven, Arcadian is a coming-of-age drama like no other.
Arcadian sees Cage play patriarch Paul, a man who has raised his twin sons, Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins) and Joseph (Jaeden Martell), in the aftermath of an apocalyptic event. Now in their teen years, Thomas and Joseph have to navigate the increasingly more hostile world around them. The trio live in relative isolation in the woods, their rustic lives are punctuated by days of graft, hunting for food, collecting water, and long nights of torment. For while during the daylight, Earth is safe, come nightfall, literal monsters stalk the planet looking for their own source of food – humans.
Although Cage will no doubt be the primary draw for many, the star takes more of a backseat here, the spotlight firmly being cast on Thomas and Joseph. The twins are drastically different young men. Joseph is the more intellectual and sensitive, Thomas the more athletic and cocky. Whilst Joseph is happy to live in their isolated bubble, Thomas prefers to spend his days on a neighbouring farm. Both however, hang onto every word and demand of their father. The rich family dynamic forms an important foundation to Arcadian as it anchors the sci-fi horror elements. Its inclusion ensures that no matter how crazy the story gets, this family, the brothers in particular, are the beating heart. Strip Arcadian of its monsters and there would still remain an engaging story.
The performances from Maxwell Jenkins and Jaeden Martell are incredibly mature for their still youthful ages. Both of them personify their respective twin beautifully, with both characters allowed moments of strength and vulnerability. Arcadian works as a coming-of-age story for each twin, their journey’s intertwined, but also separate, allowing them their own sense of identity. Twins on film are either portrayed as the trope heavy good and evil, or are made to be identical characters. That Arcadian skirts both trends is to be applauded, and in giving Thomas and Joseph their own personalities and path of discovery adds extra narrative layers to Arcadian, lifting it out of its claustrophobic setting.
Outside of the story of boys becoming men, Arcadian works as a fantastic monster apocalypse film. The dread and tension that Brewer infuses into the night sequences is exceptional. From night one, it is clear that whatever is lurking outside is vicious and to be feared. Brewer is careful with how much is, and isn’t, revealed about these creatures. The first real glimpse of them is on a par with Neil Marshall’s The Descent, in that it comes from nowhere and immediately makes your blood run cold. It’s a chilling first interaction that has the audience holding their breath. Once the creatures are a more prominent feature of the plot, Brewer still limits what the viewer sees. Rather than experiencing them in full form, each encounter demonstrates a different physical attribute or sound; this detached approach to exposing the monsters serves to make them even more terrifying.
Filmed on location in Ireland, the rural setting is the perfect environment for this type of narrative to flourish. Also that the boys have made it from babies to teens, makes for a more dynamic tale than one set in the immediate aftermath of an end of the world event. The boys, and neighbouring teenager Charlotte (Sadie Soverall), have grown up in this new world. This is their normal and their conversations about what the world might have been like before their birth is heartbreaking. The upbringing that they have had, one free of social media and devices, and being heavily involved in the running of the house, is a trip back in history.
With so many layers and fantastic performances, Arcadian goes hard on the coming-of-age drama without ever forgetting its sci-fi and horror DNA. The blending of both themes creates a film that could exist without its monstrous elements, but is far richer for their inclusion. A wonderfully emotive and intense viewing experience, Arcadian offers a stunning new entry is the end of the world survival sub-genre.
Arcadian
Summary
Wickedly realised monsters and an expertly performed emotional drama combine together to create the next best post-apocalypse story.
Arcadian is released in US cinemas from 12th April with a UK date still TBC.
