After the Apocalypse (2004)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Yasuaki Nakajima

Writer:

Yasuaki Nakajima (writer)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Drama | Fantasy

Plot:

AFTER THE APOCALYPSE is a futuristic drama about five survivors trying to make sense of a New World...

Cast

Jacqueline Bowman
Velina Georgi
Zorikh Lequidre
Oscar Lowe
Moises Morales
Yasuaki Nakajima

Runtime:

USA:72 min

Country:

USA

Language:

None

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Medama Productions

Without explanation as to how or why, a small group of survivors find themselves trying to eke out and existence after a cataclysmic event.

The film follows the simple day-to-day existence of a character who has found three other people after seeming to have thought he was alone. While never explained, there is an assumption that our characters are the ragtag remaining few after some sort of devastating event or disease. The production avoids the cliché of a stark-devastated landscape in favor of one simply devoid of other people. The beauty of this piece lies in the fact that we find ourselves caring deeply about all the characters, despite their actions. A scene of one of our main character finding an old abandoned bathtub and taking a bath is both beautiful and sad at the same time. The most astonishing aspect of this film is that it manages to capture both the subtleties and personalities of a small cast without ever saying a word. There are no huge scenes and no hokey miming. Yet, we worry for the characters. I admit to being something of an easy mark but this film really touched me. I screened it for a film festival and have proceeded to tell people about it for months. It has managed to stay with me in a way that most of the recent mainstream releases (even when I enjoyed them) have not.