‘Arcadian’ Review (SXSW 2024)

Photo credit: Arcardian

Written by: Gracie Lowes

Benjamin Brewer and Mike Nilon have teamed up to bring a new and terrifying interpretation of what the end of the world entails to sci-fi lovers’ screens.

This R-rated sci-fi thriller includes names such as Nicolas Cage, Maxwell Jenkins, Jaeden Martell, Sadie Soverall, Joe Dixon, and Samantha Coughlan.

‘Arcadian’ follows single father, Paul (Cage), and his twin teenage sons Joseph (Martell) and Thomas (Jenkins) as they grow up in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth.

Finding a safe way of living out in the countryside, away from whatever is left of society after an unknown catastrophe hits earth, the family of three use their peaceful hours of daylight to prepare and reset from each night before for the terrors awaiting them after the sun has set.

When Thomas breaks his father’s number one rule of being home before dark, Paul is forced to leave Joseph in the safety of their home and go by himself on a mission to rescue his other son.

Throughout the night each member of the family deals with their own encounters with the horrifying entities that appear in the night, forcing the family to confront their deepest fears and fight to survive the end of the world.

I wasn’t sure what to expect walking into this movie but I have to say I walked out pleasantly surprised. As someone who enjoys sci-fi and post-apocalyptic themed stories ‘Arcadian’ is a refreshing new story that was able to mix in the thriller genre while also making the characters relatable and easy to connect to despite the crazy setting they’re in.

Nicolas Cage, Maxwell Jenkins, and Jaeden Martell were the lead trio in this film and overall they did an amazing job at portraying a close family chemistry while still pulling the audience into the scary world they live in.

Nicolas Cage really stood out to me in this story since this was a role that I didn’t expect to see him play because most of his past roles were either comedy or action so it was interesting to see his take on not only this character but how he portrayed a father figure both on and off screen for his rising co-stars.

Overall, I give ‘Arcadian’ 5 out of 5 stars.

If you enjoyed ‘A Quiet Place’ and ‘The 5th Wave’ I definitely recommend ‘Arcadian’ when it comes out in theatres on April 12.