Playing out like a Western last stand, Hunter becomes invigorated by the challenge of opposing forces, and his fellow remaining cohorts follow suit. After watching a cast of characters battle a silent killer, hand to hand combat and shotgun blasts liven up the downtrodden mood. Then again, the action does provide a welcomed jolt of energy. It’s almost as if McDonald becomes bored by his own slow-burning fuse, so he draws up a hulking farmer in a cowboy hat and sets the bruiser on a warpath. Aftermath isn’t happy only killing through biological terms, and McDonald sends a sieging group of invaders to ruin Hunter’s low-key plan – a confusing, almost destructive plot point added for heightened levels of action. Those doomed townsfolk soaking up gamma rays eventually transform into frenzied, fast-moving freaks reminiscent of Danny Boyle’s 28 Weeks Later creations, except infection isn’t passed through biting – so that eliminates any possibility of zombies. OK, maybe not zombies at all? Right – let’s address those angry rednecks.Īs mentioned before, deadly radiation slowly threatens above Hunter’s basement gang, but not everyone was lucky enough to locate shelter. ![]() Neither McDonald nor Engert shy away from war-torn bleakness, atmospherically torturing a band of survivalists doing everything right, as we watch a sleek bit of body horror meet messier, gorier zombie attacks. Even with a Geiger counter available, creeping radiation remains invisible from sight, and characters have no idea whether or not disease sets in until bruises and boils indicate an already-too-late warning. It’s here, amongst strangers, buried under radioactive waves, where writer Christian McDonald explores the dirtiest realities of nuclear survival, creating an atmosphere of constant despair. From Monica Keen’s arms wildly moving about while driving to generically unenthusiastic characters searching for salvation, Aftermath strings viewers along until finally reaching a rural country safe house. Budgetary restrictions obviously prevent Engert from creating epic nuclear explosions levelling towns like Dallas and Austin, which is easy to understand, but Engert unfortunately finds himself digging out of a hole after the first fifteen minutes or so. Hunter’s isolation is captured without much grace or beauty on the part of director Peter Engert, and the struggles only continue when lackluster explosions crackle in the distance. ![]() Based on initial impressions, Aftermath starts off on shaky ground.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |