ARCADIAN
Director: Ben Brewer
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Sadie Soverall
Premiered Mar. 11 @ 3 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre, with an encore screening on Mar. 13. RLJE Films will release the film theatrically on Apr. 12.
Gotta love the creative swings Nicolas Cage is taking these days. From Pig and Dream Scenario to The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent and Mandy, he’s displaying a range like his Vampire’s Kiss and Moonstruck days, producing films that are bound to have some serious legs.
While Arcadian isn’t Cage in top wild form (nor was it aiming for that), the film itself snaps some mighty jaws of weirdness and is a taxing affair for the nerves. The creature feature also is a deeply affecting family drama, featuring a terrific performance from Jaeden Martell and one of the most skin-crawling scenes in some time.
In a world without the comforts of modern life, Paul (Cage) and his two sons, Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins of Lost in Space) and Joseph (Martell of the It films), must fight for survival every day. Their farm home provides tranquility by day, but at night, they are tormented by the unknown evil that claws at their doors, threatening their safety.
When Thomas doesn’t return home one day, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified home to find him. What he discovers is a nightmarish battle that puts their entire family in danger. Join them on a journey of desperation and survival, as they set out to execute a plan that will test their limits and push them to the brink of their humanity.
Arcadian works best when it sneaks up on you. There’s a scene about midway through when one of the creatures quietly extends its body to a form that’ll leave your mouth agape. It produced one of the most visceral reactions in a movie I’ve heard. The movements and behaviors of these things really elevate this film to something more memorable. They’re positively freaky in the way they move their jaws and extend their claws. It’s pure nightmare fuel.
What also elevates the film to the next level is the humanism that underlies the horror. Director Benjamin Brewer (The Trust) explores the question of what defines a family and what it takes to maintain it. The answers are worked out with genuine emotion, particularly on the part of Martell, who effortlessly blends into this world. He is a clever and humorous character who immerses you into the daily routine of the family, whether he is foraging around the forest for wood, salvaging scraps in abandoned areas, or using his fingers to measure the distance between the sun and the horizon to avoid becoming a nighttime snack.
Cage delivers a touching performance in this movie. Although he doesn’t have the same amount of screen time as John Krasinski in A Quiet Place (a film that Arcadian shares some DNA with), he is given several heartfelt moments that are worth mentioning and truly showcase his dramatic abilities.
Arcadian has the creeping menace to earn it some nail-biting tension and parental themes that give it more staying power. It moves fast and isn’t afraid to get weird, and it’s all the better for it.
Grade: B+
