Orion is a bit of an odd movie. At times art, at time horror, the only thing it is consistent about is that it’s rather dull in the most horrid sort of way.

Post-apocalyptic fantasy only really works when we have some sort of investment in the world itself. The tale of mankind struggling to survive in a world gone wrong is a powerful one indeed, but the viewer typically needs to understand how the Earth became so broken, either through visual clues or a strong narrative.

To be entirely harsh, the only reason Asiel Norton’s movie Orion is post-apocalyptic is for budget reasons. It seems covering his leads in grime makes for a cheaper movie.  The plot is an absurdly overly thought out tale of a prophecy, the stars not being in the right alignment and the coming of a saviour, the titular Orion.

The performances are a mixed bag. David Arquette appears slightly lost as the Hunter (who may or may not be our saviour), and Lily Cole seems at times either disinterested or distressed as the Virgin. Her character is apparently part of some sort of world-changing event, though honestly, it’s hard to tell.

When the characters stop warbling on about how awful everything is,  the movie decides to remind us that this is a world gone wrong with some heavily graphic scene, typically involving stylised gore and some sort of abominable crime, such as infanticide or flaying.

The fundamental problem is here is an utter lack of storytelling. Orion is a series of set-pieces strung together haphazardly. The viewer does not care about the world or the characters. It’s almost as If it’s designed for the audience to sit with the fast forward button at hand, waiting for the next piece of violence or nudity. Neither of which are presented in an interesting fashion.

Despite an interesting premise and rather intriguing cast, Orion goes nowhere and does nothing. Avoid.

ORION / CERT: TBC DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ASIEL NORTON / STARS: DAVID ARQUETTE, LILY COLE, GORAN KOSTIC / RELEASE DATE: TBC