Earth has been invaded and the fight is all but already lost as machines maraud across the planet, rounding up the remaining people and sucking them into their motherships, never to return.
We are thrust straight into the action as a team of American soldiers are taking the fight to the robots in a Kenyan town. Bo (Pace) is the only soldier to survive the battle and he wakes up in a jail cell, suffering from amnesia so severe that he can’t even remember his own name. In the cell next to him is a foreign aid worker, Nadia (Marlohe), but before they can get to know each other well, they are released by a small band of thugs, who are much more interested in getting their kicks than banding together to survive.
Once they escape from them, they decide to try to travel to the most local American base, which proves to be difficult as they are side-tracked by other survivors as well as those pursuing robots.
On their travels through the desolate, apocalyptic landscape, they meet Stander (Flemyng) who has been taking photos of his journey, which nicely directs them towards the border and hopeful salvation. But as they get closer, it becomes clear via flashbacks that Bo’s amnesia is hiding a secret that could endanger everyone.
Eventually, Bo meets a group of resistance fighters who are planning on fighting back by using EMPs to bring the ships and the robots down, but will they be able to stay alive long enough to put their plan into action and potentially shift the balance of power?
Revolt is a lo-fi alien invasion movie that could be best described as Skyline meets Monsters, but whereas similar films have failed to punch themselves out of the confines of their low budgets, Revolt has some real heart within. Sure, the lack of budget is evident, but there is enough here to make you want to watch to the end and see how it all pans out.
There are some lovely shots on show here as the African vistas are used to their full potential and even the realisation of the alien ships look great.
Revolt is a cut above its brethren and one that you should give some time to.
REVOLT / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOE MIALE / SCREENPLAY: ROWAN ATHALE, JOE MIALE / STARRING: LEE PACE, BERENICE MARLOHE, JASON FLEMYNG / RELEASE DATE: JANUARY 22ND
