There’s a certain finesse to director George Nolfi’s post-apocalyptic creature feature “Elevation” that is highly impressive, even though there are certain films it is a spin-off of that do a better job at it. This isn’t backhanded mic popping as some sci-fi films attempt to be far more complex than the genre can afford, and that is a nexus-thinning nod. Nolfi makes sure that he does not inhibit himself in doing so; he does not rummage through the details of a story that revolves around survivors chasing bulletproof monsters whose only restriction is the hunt not being held above eight hundred miles. It is a compromise between violence and wit; it is rather an intuitive realization of how and why this gear works: accelerated glossary definition construction, captivating imagery, and just enough theme development to support characters that would otherwise be too flat to exist.
For some reason, the reapers make it a point to avoid humans that are situated eight thousand feet up in the air, which is good news for the hilly mountainous regions (sorry Midwest) in the States. Although Will and Hunter have more or less been able to carry on with their lives despite the tragic circumstances of the world, their way of life is under constant threat due to the respiratory issues that Hunter has. Will makes the decision to breach the line of safety so that he can get the required help and is joined by Nina (Morena Baccarin), a physicist trying to figure out how to eliminate the reapers, and Katie (Maddie Hasson), a friend of Will’s family.
From that point onward, “Elevation” alters the pace to suit that of a video game sidequest, the three of them traveling to different places for items they need for their quest while being hunted by (and either escaping from or somehow overriding) the reapers. It is hard to overstress the fact that its setup contains few surprises: For instance, Will says that there is a light path on the supplies hazard free, and has a high chance of getting a reward, but we know Hunter is right; in this book, odysseys are never simple. We understand that not all of the roles will get to see the end of the movie, and there is likely to be some twist about some characters waiting for the third map.
When it comes to designing a reaper, have them be a combination of the curved walls from ‘Edge of Tomorrow’ and white spikes for Tomorrow War, deviant of Eternal and simply change the font.
However, there’s an ambition and novelty that is introduced by the cinematographer Shelly Johnson. Johnson beautifully managed to capture the comforting warmth of the Colorado Alps and foliage, allowing us to witness nature with unrivaled beauty even if there were reapers before attempting to invade the serene landscape. This new era looks stunning and when Will, Nina, and Katie brace themselves to fight the reapers, the landscape juxtaposes frightening imagery of reapers and breathtaking mountains, further emphasizing how minute humans are in comparison. The angle at which this is shot can make it feel like the trio are in a massive wasteland with no place to hide, borrow Chennai Express’s ‘rewind’ and take a left. If you want to see maximum chaos then the elevator never delivers the expectation. Everything feels like amde running the camera on ACS so the view of sluggish helicopter shots feels so close. The massive sweeping drone shots seem like a much better alternative to overpowering.
This film allows for Baccarin and Mackie to showcase great flexibility. The combination of losing family members turned into trauma for their characters allowing them to seem dejected while continuing to stay aligned to the unending exposition of the film and not sound terrible.
It is Hasson, a person who stands out in the new film “Bone Lake”, who is given room to be multi-dimensional by combining a sense of teenage rebellion derived from the thought that the ‘humans can once again be at the top of the food chain’ which adds texture to her deep-seated sorrow. Rather than engaging in a dialogue that helps us better understand these people, she is unfortunately given monologues, which is a way I imagine the producers try to do too much too soon and expect everyone to empathize through such cheesy tries. (Just before a life-threatening part of the story, we hear about her history with what happens before the ‘reaper’ comes to make an entrance, which I believe is in place as a way to make us feel sorry for someone that might nor might not survive until the end).
The saying that has stood the test of time that living and merely surviving are not the same is highly resonant. In the first part of the movie, Hunter goes over the strip due to being too ‘comfortable’ wanting to see nature only to be stalked by a reaper, facilitating the safety umbrella while a tad bit later. Yes, it is easy to condemn it (and Will does not spare the rod), but Hunter is a bit soft-headed. “I just wanted to see other people,” he says.
Katie and him go in the same circle of youth, and they have memories of the previous generations that could only obsess with the will to survive the next year let alone contemplate what would happen four years down the line, those people don’t even dare to hope for change anymore. They understand how exactly being in damage control can prove to be a different form of death. Will and Nena may be the ones to actively take on the reapers, but Hunter and Katie place themselves in the category of people who get to experience beauty even if such does exist in a world filled with horrors, their fight is a different one embracing self-preservation of the mind and the body from bitterness and despair. Even whilst this film “Elevation” never transcends its genre or frees itself from the shadows of its influencers, it certainly does not sink low enough to be termed as mind-numbingly empty. A swift 90-minute session provides plenty of entertainment with plenty of engaging events occurring at a safe distance from a screen.
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