Review of Aftermath (2017) by Bryan K — 10 Apr 2017

In a world of popcorn blockbusters and mindless, numbing action, this is a refreshing change of pace for everyone. What you'd expect from a movie featuring an actor who's larger than life, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, is what I described before.

What we get in Aftermath is a human story, full of flaws and frailty, something Schwarzenegger is rarely given a chance to play. There are no one liners here. There's no mugging for the camera after sending the bad guy out a 20 story window to his death.

There are no explosions or car chases to get your blood pumping... What there are, in spades, is plenty of raw emotion on display. Arnold may be an old man and falling apart, but he's never looked so good onscreen as he does when he's on the edge of tears and madness.

Scoot McNairy delivers a "warts and all" performance that shows why people are making a big deal out of him. Maggie Grace balances a great deal of highs & lows as she watches her husband go through changes that ultimately put them at odds.

The whole movie manages to make you engage and invest in these characters as they head towards their respective fates. The ending, while not a shock if you know the true story it's inspired by, is truly a masterfully executed moment in cinema that explores cause and effect in a way that you feel something you didn't expect.

There's a beautiful movie inside Aftermath and all the actors and crew were up to the challenge of making it happen.