I was actually not looking forward to this movie at all because I tried to read the book beforehand and couldn't finish it. Not to mention I find director Patricia Rozema a hit or miss director and Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood are far from my favourite actresses. But maybe it's because I went into this with such low expectations that I ended up being completely blown away.
Page and Wood play two teenage sisters (despite looking nothing like teenagers or each other), who live in a remote woodland area (which is clearly in B.C. but pretending to be somewhere in the U.S.) with their handy father. They live in a slightly futuristic time where computers are slightly advanced. One day the power goes out which poses a minor inconvenience for them. But then the outage continues and things start to go awry. People get desperate. And this small family has to struggle to come together to survive.
The story honestly isn't particularly unique but Rozema, taking her cues from the novel of the same name, puts a surprising twist on certain actions. The characters find hope in dire situations and in each other. And Rozema truly has a breath taking eye for capturing images. There are so many moments that took my breath away because of how beautifully she framed them. Cinematographer Daniel Grant also deserves a shout out for his truly beautiful work.
By no means a perfect movie, this one is still worth watching if you keep an open mind.
Page and Wood play two teenage sisters (despite looking nothing like teenagers or each other), who live in a remote woodland area (which is clearly in B.C. but pretending to be somewhere in the U.S.) with their handy father. They live in a slightly futuristic time where computers are slightly advanced. One day the power goes out which poses a minor inconvenience for them. But then the outage continues and things start to go awry. People get desperate. And this small family has to struggle to come together to survive.
The story honestly isn't particularly unique but Rozema, taking her cues from the novel of the same name, puts a surprising twist on certain actions. The characters find hope in dire situations and in each other. And Rozema truly has a breath taking eye for capturing images. There are so many moments that took my breath away because of how beautifully she framed them. Cinematographer Daniel Grant also deserves a shout out for his truly beautiful work.
By no means a perfect movie, this one is still worth watching if you keep an open mind.