We jump into Elevation
three years after an apocalyptic event. Massive insect-like creatures erupt from the ground and wipe out about 95% of humanity. They are efficient in their kills, never resting, never ceasing, but like most creatures in this subgenre, they have a limit. These creatures cannot surpass a certain elevation level, forcing the remainder of humanity to create settlements at high altitudes. Much like the not-too-dissimilar A Quiet Place, Elevation revolves around a small unit of people at the edge of survival and the small hope of finding a solution to defeat these new apex predators.
Elevation Is A Sturdy Survival Action-Thriller With Relatable Characters
But The Film Falters In Comparison To Other, Similar Projects
Screenwriters John Glenn, Kenny Ryan, Jacob Roman, and director George Nolfi crafted a sturdy project. There is very little to fault but not much to recommend beyond the fact that it’s structurally sound. There is a directness to the screenplay and the story’s execution that is admirable, but the film lacks a touch of the drastic flair that makes it cinematic; pardon the snobbery. I suggested that Elevation is akin to A Quiet Place, and while there are fundamental differences, a lot is tethering the two films — and not to the benefit of Elevation.
The film does delve into the emotional distress and hardship this massive situation has brought on our relatable characters, but there is a certain level of intrigue and darkness that Elevation does not reach, thus the gravity of the situation doesn’t feel as heavy. Coupled with serviceable CGI, Elevation comes across as a mild copycat rather than a compelling project that stands on its own merits.
Anthony Mackie Is A Solid Action Lead Whose Single Father Arc Is Compelling
But Morena Baccarin Steals The Show As Nina, A Guilty Physicist
The cast is excellent, but the standout is Morena Baccarin, tasked with playing someone who swings between contrasting emotions without losing sight of her purpose. If only the film could rearrange some things and push Baccarin to the forefront, then what was once a film with little to commend would have a lot. Baccarin is very good at drawing the eye and pulling at our heartstrings. She effectively plays up the aspects of her character that would normally repel us from liking her, yet her charisma is an undeniable draw.
Meanwhile, Maddie Hasson is effective as the third in the trifecta, though she’s mostly a vessel, as neither Baccarin nor Mackie plays characters we would easily identify with. All in all, Mackie leads a great cast, but the question is whether he is the one Elevation needs as a lead. Anthony Mackie is a fine actor. Here, he brings a very steady, average Joe hero type who has a cause worth fighting for. However, his role as Will, a single father trying to survive the apocalypse in the Colorado mountains, is perhaps the least compelling aspect of the film.
If a sequel means more of Morena Baccarin’s Nina using her brain to counter these god-like beasts, then sign me up.
With some minor tweaks, much of the story could remain as is but focus a touch more on Baccarin’s Nina, the physicist riddled with guilt and overly reliant on alcohol. There is something to be said about the emotional anchor of the film being a family man and the instigating factor for the story being his sick child, but without giving too much away, he just takes up so much space and isn’t all that interesting.
Judging what we have and not its potential, I’d say it’s a solid action movie with equal thrills, action, and emotion, that places its bets on a story that has a normal amount of stakes and a lead that has a simple, easy-to-follow journey.
Elevation Sacrifices Suspense For A Cookie-Cutter Plot
Elevation makes one critical mistake: opening up the questions about the origins of these creatures and then teasing an answer. There is something quite disheartening about an action-thriller not being given the space to revel in the uncertainty. There is a great desire to have answers or at least some implicit nod to the right direction of said answers. But to get the full effect of the story’s terror, leaning into the uncertainty offers more. Sure, there are always going to be questions, but the thriller fails to utilize that frustrating lack of answers as fodder for suspense and drama.
Again, the film relies on the safe bet, giving us enough to answer our questions and then teasing the possibility of more movies. Could Elevation be built into a compelling franchise like A Quiet Place? Sure. I can see a film that follows the immediate moment after the massive insects appeared. We can follow this story with a different set of characters or even follow up on our current protagonists as they encounter new faces. The film is crafted in a way that so many Hollywood films are these days, and that is to kick-start a series.
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While Elevation doesn’t elicit great excitement, there is something reliable about this story and cast that would make for a potentially successful series. I’d caution against it as some things are left as solo adventures, but if a sequel means more of Morena Baccarin’s Nina using her brain to counter these god-like beasts, then sign me up.
Elevation will be in theaters on November 8. The film is 90 minutes long and rated R for language.
6/10
In the post-apocalyptic Rockies, a father and two women risk their lives by facing monstrous creatures to save a young boy.
- A straight-forward action-thriller that offers an entertaining, yet emotional adventure
- Morena Baccarin shines in a dynamic role
- Anthony Mackie is a solid lead, but boring
- The desire for answers outways the suspense and thrill of the unknown