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THE COLLAPSED
Canada 2011
Run time: 82 minutes
Director:
Justin
McConnell Studio: Unstable Ground Production
DVD release: Unstable Ground Production
Review by
Nicklas Thoft
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The Collapsed comes to Horror Unrated courtesy of production company Unstable Ground and represents director Justin McConnell’s first stab at feature filmmaking. It was shot, like some many low-budget movies these days, on RED Cam in 20 days in Ayton, Ontario Canada on an estimated budget of $150.000. So let’s take a closer look.
In the wake of what seemingly is the end of the world, a family of four consisting of the father Scott (John Fantasia), mother Emily (Lisa Moule) and their adult children Aaron (Steve Vieira) and Rebecca (Anna Ross) is desperately trying to stay alive against the insurmountable odds of a world gone mad. Their immediate goal is to escape the desolated and chaotic confines of the big city and travel to the rural community Dover’s Bend which the family once referred to as home. But the constant threat of a violent death at the hands of equally desperate fellow survivors are forcing them to stay as far away from civilization as possible, and after looting an abandoned gas station for supplies bringing them dangerously close to a standoff with a band of heavily armed adversaries, the family decides to take a forest route to better help their chances of staying in the clear of gunplay. However, when further unforeseen events claim the lives of two of the parties’ members, impending madness along with the hopelessness of the situation, soon begins to threaten the unity of the remaining faction. As our protagonists ventures on through the merciless wilderness, they will soon discover that the danger posed by other survivors may be the least of their worries as they get ever closer to learning the terrifying truth about the nature of the events that caused the collapse of civilization.
I am extremely pleased to be able to report that this little indie film utilizes enough of the attributes we commonly associate with quality filmmaking to pass muster. Not without its faults, Justin McConnell’s ambitious debut feature nevertheless manage to convey its story on its own terms, without much in the way of pander in regards to genre conventions, at least before its gory climax. The preceding 70 odd minutes is a meticulous (and some would say ridiculous) exercise in slow burn, that will surely test the patience of many horror aficionados, but should go down as a treat with people who appreciates attributes such as character development and atmosphere. I don’t know if this is a byproduct of the director’s background in documentary filmmaking, but he seems to have an astute eye for the necessity of well-drawn characters and for populating his film with human beings the viewer can relate to and as a result, garner a bit of sympathy for. The film also employs a nice visual style in the vein of cinema vérité which is effective in heightening the tension, and works well given the subject matter and nature of the piece. It’s also nice to experience night lighting that doesn’t feel forced or contrived, albeit there’s still a long way to go before we reach the majestic heights of Time of the Wolf (Le temps du loup, Michael Haneke, 2003) which still houses the greatest example of night lightning ever put on film (and coincidently also deals with the end of the world), but a good effort all the same.
But for all the director’s good intentions concerning the build of characters, it’s important to point out that a fair margin of the acting by the unknown cast feels a bit ropy at times, and while John Fantasia, Lisa Moule and Steve Vieira does a reasonable job with the material, and especially the two men share a couple of nice scenes of father/son bonding, the acting performance of Anna Ross portraying teenage daughter Rebecca, is truly atrocious. The scenes where she spots a gas station is utterly cringe inducing, and the script, which for the most parts seems okay, certainly doesn’t do that particular character any favors either, sending her – in the midst of the apocalypse mind you – away from her family to engage in the imperative task of waxing her legs! I mean, WTF!
The film’s climax and its connection to the invisible entity roaming the forest (I won’t elaborate further for fear of spoilers) also come across as a bit of a letdown. It’s okay in that it is neither a slam dunk nor a total wash out, just a little bland and uninspiring. I closing, The Collapsed is an above average low-budget indie flick, that should satisfy people who are fascinated by cost efficient cinema as well as students of the game with a precedence for lingering, character driven films.
DVD:
The DVD reviewed is a screener and therefore there are no special features or
sound options included.
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