[SXSW 2024] ARCADIAN -- Nic Cage Post-Apocalyptic Movie Is a Mixed Bag

Review by Sean Boelman

Nicolas Cage is a mainstay in B movies, and more often than not, they’re at least enjoyable — even if they’re not particularly good. As far as Nic Cage movies go, Arcadian is somewhat frustrating. It only goes off the wall in the final act and a few scenes throughout the film. The film’s attempts to be serious are underwhelming, resulting in an experience that’s more boring than it should be. 

Arcadian tells the story of a father and his two teenage sons fighting for survival in their remote farmhouse in the wake of an apocalypse that pits them against a dangerous threat nightly. As far as post-apocalyptic films go, Arcadian feels very non-descript and reminiscent of other, better films.

The first two-thirds of Arcadian are simply dull. This is a generic coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world. Although a few scenes stand out — particularly when the film leans into its horror aspects — much of it feels like it is belabored to go through the motions of a genre with such a clearly established formula.

In its final act, Arcadian is allowed to go off the walls in a way that would best be described as A Quiet Place, but with the gonzo sensibilities of a filmmaker like Sam Raimi. The creatures somehow manage to look generic but are incredibly memorable due to the bizarre capabilities and characteristics they are given. Granted, many of these don’t make sense within the context of the film, but they are enjoyable to look at nevertheless.

The film's character development is as generic as the world in which it is set. Although the introduction introduces some interesting character dynamics between the father and his sons, they are never explored. More emphasis is put on the sibling relationship, but it’s about as paint-by-numbers as they come.

Nicolas Cage’s performance here is far more restrained than what one might expect from a Cage B-movie. His performance is actually the film’s emotional grounding, much more akin to his work in something like Pig than his usual approach to horror. Jaeden Martell’s performance is satisfactory — he just isn’t given much to do. Maxwell Jenkins, the least recognizable of the three leads, is surprisingly the best of the bunch. He infuses his character with a unique personality, which the other two actors struggle to do.

From a technical standpoint, Brewer’s film is a bit of a mixed bag. A few sequences are incredibly executed in a way that will make them go down as some of the greatest horror moments of the year. Other parts, particularly the world-building, feel visually bland and uninspired. There are enough strengths that it makes you wish there was more consistency.

Arcadian has a few awesome moments, but the world and characters are too generic, and the pacing is too slow for it to make much of an impact. There’s a lot of potential here for this to be the next great monster movie, but it only rarely lives up to its promise.

Arcadian screened at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which ran March 8-16 in Austin, TX.

​Rating: 2.5/5