Review of Air (2015) by Thequietgamer — 22 Oct 2015

Hardcore fans of post-apocalyptic settings are going to be the ones who get the most out of this. The pace is rather slow. The majority of it is just about these characters trying to maintain their sanctuary in a world with poisoned air. Even when things inevitably go wrong and they have find a way to fix their current situation things don't pick up much until near the end. That's when their mental states pit them against one another.

It would be a lot more boring to watch were it not for the fantastic performances from Norman Reedus Djimon Hounsou. They have some great chemistry and their interactions are enjoyable to watch. The cool sci-fi vibe we get from the world also helps. However they can't completely make up for the issues with the plot and pacing.

It's not until later on in the movie that the scope of the events start to become larger and the characters start to turn on each other. That's when things really start to pick up and get more interesting. Up until that point you really have to enjoy post-apocalyptic worlds and watching characters do what it takes to survive in them (however mundane). There's not much action and not too much going on. You have to let the hopelessness and the isolation of the world pull you in. Many aren't going to find that to be enough.

Even then the way the plot plays out might lead to some disappointment. The conflict between the two characters is one that I felt very strongly should play out one way. I might have been able to sympathize with Cartwright's (Hounsou) motives for betraying his friend, but that doesn't mean I supported him. I wasn't happy with the film's conclusion.

Still, it was pretty cool for the movie to pull me in that way. I might not be okay with the way things turned out, but I was invested in it. It's one that kept me entertained throughout it's running time even if the pace was slow. It's a cool world with great actors making the conflicts at hand more interesting. You might have to be a hardcore post-apocalyptic fan to really enjoy it, but I think anyone interested in the concept or actors should give it a shot. It's a flawed, but enjoyable movie in my opinion.