Jake (Drew Van Acker) and his father Troy (Stephen Moyer) have been living deep in the forest since the collapse of civilisation and World War 3 twenty years ago. Troy is insistent that to stay safe they must remain hidden from any survivors there may be outside. Whenever anyone strays too close to their compound, they are swiftly killed and buried. Jake is uneasy with this but knows little else since he was only a child when the world fell and his father rushed him away to safety. His curiosity about what’s beyond the forest increases when he comes across a woman, Henrietta (Alicia Silverstone), who he tells his father he killed.
Directed by Drew Mylrea, Last Survivors treads the well-worn path of post-apocalyptic films but manages to keep things engaging particularly after the revelations that come after the movie’s first quarter (which are not too hard to guess, but we won’t spoil here). The script, by Josh Janowicz, manages to avoid too many clichés allowing the characters to have an authentic edge even to the point of giving Troy some horrendous misogynistic traits. Both he and Henrietta share a common trait that they have removed themselves from a situation that they were unable to deal with, and Jake is stuck trying to make sense of both sides. Julián Estrada’s cinematography makes the most of the icy Montana locations, giving a believability to the secluded existence.
Last Survivors uses its premise to highlight some unpleasant aspects of the patriarchy (Troy keeps telling Jake “This is not a democracy”) and, in particular, isolation (something we’ve all experienced to a degree over the last year or so) but ultimately gives the characters hope and a renewed sense of self. By not getting too bleak, Mylrea gives us an easier watch than we’d expect.
Last Survivors had its UK premiere at Arrow Video FrightFest Halloween.
