Review of The Collapsed (2011) by Archibald T — 18 Feb 2013

A post apocalyptic world has struck a family of four. They've gone into survival mode once civilization suddenly collapsed. Other survivors have gone a much different route. For some reason, people have turned into a vicious evil. Not zombies, but instead as a bunch of raving lunatics with guns, willing to kill anyone and take their belongings. It's survival of the fittest in these trying times.

So, the family has been stuck in the city during the apocalypse. They're running out of hiding places from all the crazies lurking about. The father of the group decides they head to Dover's Bend. Supposedly they'll be safe there, but really it's not safe anywhere. You see aside from the savages taking over, there's a strange invisible force that's stalking the family. In one such scene, father and son go walking in the woods until a noise is heard sending both into a panic frenzy of not knowing what it is that surrounds them. The son firing off a shot at whatever it is that's creeping toward him. What could this invisible force be? Does it have anything to do with the collapse of civilization? Or is there some other force at work here that may be more human than supernatural?

The family dynamic slows this film down. The father and son banter plays like an ABC family channel episode. Also there's too much walking and walking and walking. On a plus side though, the soundtrack was great. It brought an intensity to mundane "suspense"-like scenes which were more laughable as was the horrible acting. I did like the direction which kept me involved all the way to it's twist ending. Yes a twist ending. Sometimes they work, but not here. It only made it slightly worse. I would give this film one star, but like I mentioned the soundtrack and direction were top notch. Two stars are good enough.