Arcadian, directed by Benjamin (Reptile) Brewer, scripted by co-producer, Michael (Left Behind 2014) Nilan, and starring the ever reliable Nicolas Cage, is a new monster movie set in a near (undated) future, which takes elements from Ray Milland's survivalist-steered Panic in Year Zero! and Robert Hutton's they're-already-here The Slime People.
Like those movies, Arcadian is a true epic (i.e. beyond, a wee prelude, it starts in the middle of events). The story insinuates that about fifteen years prior, a purple, pandemic haze (maybe caused by insectoid infestation) purged most of the population, and from that point, a temporary, "machine" takeover occurred, followed by the manifestation of predatory monsters, which may have been spawned from pollutants. Yeah, the specific hows and whys are arguable, but not as important as the movie's nightmarish ambiance, and in this case, such works rather like Night of the Living Dead. (Was it a Venus probe or some other insidious catalyst that made the dead rise and devour the living? What's it matter? It's the mounting scares that count.)
The action is confined to a rural area and projects plenty of earthiness (throwback, non-electrical living), thus the "arcadian" label, with two families dealing with the spread of the burrowing, nocturnal beasts. The families choose to live separately instead of fighting on the same playing field to increase their chances of survival. (Hints of Milland's Year Zero seep through this division, though the 1962 movie rode more on the paranoia of not knowing whom to trust, as opposed to the appraised communication of down-the-road counterparts.)
Of the factions, there's Nicolas Cage's resourceful Paul, his twin sons, Jaeden Martell's Joseph and Maxwell Jenkins' Thomas, and their protective dog, Rocco. They live on a fortified farm, where they manage to keep their attackers at bay. On the other side, we have the Roses, who include Joe Dixon's Mr. Rose, Samantha Coughlan's Mrs. Rose and their daughter, Sadie Soverall's Katie. Katie and Thomas are smitten with each other, which sets a Romeo/Juliet (across the tracks) awkwardness, but on a riskier note, the Roses claim that the creature visitations have only sporadic for them. In other words, they don't see a need to be as prepared as Paul and his boys, which comes to light later in the story. (There's also a bunkhouse of men stationed not far from the Roses, but this truculent team is more transient than not.)
On his way from the Roses, the tardy Thomas falls into a crevasse, where the creatures flank him. Paul ventures to find his son, and he and Thomas battle the aggressors, but dad ends up scarred and unconscious from the melee. This prompts Joseph to travel via tractor to rescue his dad and brother. Joseph succeeds, but matters remain dire, with Paul incapacitated for a hefty duration.
The boys ask the Roses for medication for their father, but the couple turns them down, claiming they can't spare the supply. Charlotte, however, slips Thomas the goods and later joins for the brothers. The kids are then pitted against the monsters, which assail from the corridors of the boys' home, culminating in a fierce, creature-wrought climax.
Of all quirky things, Brewer claims to have patterned the creatures after Disney's Goofy. Aspects of the cartoon character can be seen in the final design, if one looks hard enough. To me, the format is more a hybrid of Xenomorph, dog, camel, horse and praying mantis (ferocious Flub-a-dubs, for all intents). For added effect, the monsters jut their heads (in rocking-horse fashion) before attacking, while eliciting loud, rapid rattles: a most unsettling trait, though their sinewy, extending limbs are perhaps their most uncanny element. (There's one eerie scene where a creature extends its arm toward Maxwell, which is reminiscent of two indelible scenes from the 1953 War of the Worlds: one where a Martian's long fingers touch Anne Robinson's shoulder from behind and another where a long-necked, Martian camera slinks into a derelict house. War of the Worlds fans will recognize Arcadian's allusions, even if they may be unintended.)
The monsters also move at lightning speed, but despite this significant advantage, the youngsters do a respectable job combatting them, with Paul waiting in the wings for his comeback. Though his absence gives the kids a chance to shine, the character's shutdown is also a hindrance, since it gives Cage less screen time. (A comparable setup is Kick-Ass, where Cage makes a heroic splash, only then to subside.)
Regardless of the mid-section lull, Cage is in top form whenever seen. It's interesting to contrast his identifiable, paternal persona with his other recent roles, like Longlegs, Dracula and the beleaguered professor of Dream Scenario. There's no doubt that he's one of the most versatile actors going today. Arcadian reaffirms it.
Arcadian is wide open for a sequel, and with that, deeper explanations regarding the dystopic nightmare it presents. In that the movie is earning positive reviews (a cult following, if one will), more of the mythology looks inevitable. We'll wait and see what rolls.
Arcadian is available for viewing on AMC+.
