Review of The Last Survivors (2014) by Phillip D — 28 Aug 2016

The Last Survivors (really more aptly The Well, its subtitle) is a true testament to just how pathetic Hollywood has become as of late. I predicted this would occur. With the rise of movies that are often guaranteed to make over a billion dollars at the box office, not to mention the obsession with sequels and reboots, I predicted that indie films, along with original concept films, would suffer as a result.

With studios increasingly only interested in safe bets with reboots of existing nostalgic properties, good up and coming directors and actors are being sidelined for faces and names that guarantee cash.

Promotion for films that fall outside the latest franchise is practically impossible to drum up and The Last Survivors and its clear star, Haley Lu Richardson, are one of the victims of this idiotic system that seeks only to award dollars to franchises, awards bait companies like Weinstein or trendy names like Woody Allen or Steven Spielberg.

The fact of the matter is that what Hammock and Richardson have created in their first true outing is better than the majority of what floats around in the mire that is Hollywood today. Now certainly, you can tell that this movie was filmed on the smallest of budgets.

The sets are the same, repeated and simple, although Hammock's eye and camera work make things fresh. Of the same grain is the acting, which is mostly newcomers to film. As such, occasionally a look slips or a line feels a little stale.

Special effects are not incredible but are certainly passable (it isn't like the big budget Jurassic World really did any better). But all of this is just nitpicking when compared against the world Hammock has created for Richardson to inhabit.

In the grain of The Book of Eli (a movie that clearly serves as an inspiration), the color, landscaping, sounds and assorted trinkets are rich with symbolism and emotion. Hammock smartly decides to avoid the route of The Road, managing to convey the hopelessness of the situation without sucking all life out of the film.

The plot is not unexpected but the western land rights spin that Hammock injects into the film is somewhat of a new turn for the genre as well as a subtle nod to the recent land rights activists who have terrorized local populations in the west recently.

The antagonists are probably the weakest aspect of the film, with their motivations somewhat unclear and unwieldy. It isn't awful and clearly this film isn't about them or their journey (unlike The Book of Eli, which preferred to flesh out its antagonists to a greater degree in order to emphasize the splitting of motivations over a single idea) so the movie doesn't suffer much as a result.

The fact is, with Hammock's limited budget, he knew where he wanted his movie to go and that direction was all Richardson. She has some of the best eyes in the business and although I would prefer her hair to be a little more unkempt, she is quickly making a name for herself (scratch that, she isn't thanks to Hollywood's unoriginal obsession with bullshit) with her incredible facial versatility, showcased here and in her other two films, The Bronze and The Young Kieslowski, where she moved from giggling preteen to despondent teen mother to be with no trouble at all, finding time for romance and deep pondering in between.

Her first film is no different and she catches us completely and takes us into the world Hammock has created with ease, getting us past the few logical leaps (A valley in Oregon? Better to stick with Nevada or Idaho frankly) smashingly.

Her journey is what defines this film, as she moves from an attached caretaker to a hardened survivor on her way off the farm. Although Mad Max has come to define female driven post-apocalyptic masterpieces (as well it should), The Last Survivors brings something powerful to the table as well.

For the most part, Richardson is unattached, independent and capable, maintaining that strength throughout the film. But she isn't callous either, demonstrating (especially facially) deep care for her small child ward (Max Charles doesn't get much time here but the kid has some killer poise for such a young actor and he has some incredible lines) and her fellow orphan as he dies of kidney failure (it will be interesting to see if Booboo Stewart can climb back into the movie business after his successful work here).

There are powerful emotional moments here that help to ground Richardson's character, draw us into the arc (minimal as it may be) and keep us engaged with the plot. Unfortunately, all of the good, original work to come out of this movie seems to have been lost to time.

A mere ten critics saw fit to review this film at the time of release and despite going on to star in two more stellar films, Richardson was recently just cast in indie film The Edge of Seventeen...as a fucking supporting role to the infinitely less talented and more annoying Haliee Steinfeld, an actress who took a Coen Brothers role she excelled at and pissed that down the drain for a wannabe Ariana Grande music career.

Hammock has yet to get more work, despite showing a great eye and a great mind for using a minimal budget here. Critics failed to show up for The Young Kieslowski and The Bronze was panned by people who failed to understand the concept.

Frankly, I'm not sure what else Richardson could do to land herself a role other than crucify herself in a performance art piece in front of the Academy offices. Hollywood can be damned. Go watch this movie.

Go buy it. Tweet about it. It isn't the greatest but The Last Survivor is just that, one of the last survivors of the originality wars Hollywood is currently waging on creators. It's inventive, fun and engaging.

Worth your time and everyone else's.