Arcadian (2024)
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A father and his two sons must survive in a post-apocalyptic world plagued by monstrous photophobic creatures.
The story
Fifteen years after a pandemic wiped out most of the population and collapsed civilization, Paul and his twin sons, Joseph and Thomas, live in a derelict farmhouse. They survive by scavenging during the day and hiding from monstrous photophobic creatures that emerge at night. The brothers have different approaches to survival: Thomas is a risk-taker, while Joseph is more analytical. Their isolated existence is threatened when they hear the creatures attempting to breach their home, forcing them to fortify their defenses and navigate the dangers of the wasteland to secure their safety.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a pandemic destroyed civilization, Paul and his twin sons, Joseph and Thomas, live in a farmhouse, hiding from photophobic creatures at night. When the creatures attempt to break into their cellar, Paul reinforces the door. During a scouting mission, Thomas becomes separated and is trapped in a cave with Paul; they survive a cave-in caused by a flare. Meanwhile, Joseph traps a creature to study it. When they reunite, they travel to a nearby farm to seek medical help for Paul's injuries. They are refused help by the residents, and a conflict arises between the brothers. Later, the creatures attack the Rose farm, and the survivors—Thomas, Charlotte, and the injured Paul—flee to the farmhouse. To allow the others to escape, Paul stays behind and sacrifices his life in a fuel-based explosion. The film ends with Charlotte, Joseph, and Thomas searching for other survivors.
- First release year
- 2024
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States; Canada; Ireland
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Benjamin Brewer
- Writers
- Michael Nilon · writer
- Cast and characters
- Nicolas Cage · Paul; Jaeden Martell · Joseph; Maxwell Jenkins · Thomas; Sadie Soverall · Charlotte; Joe Dixon · Mr. Rose; Samantha Coughlan · Mrs. Rose
- Genres
- action; horror
- Themes
- survival; father-son relationship
- Tone and mood
- tense; fable
- Premise and plot tags
- post-apocalyptic; monster; survival
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews from critics, though some critics noted it was a 'generic' thriller or felt it didn't fully utilize its lead actor's range.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 57 · scale: 100 · review count: 23
- Production trivia
- The film was produced by Nicolas Cage.; Principal photography took place in Dublin, Ireland.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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