Now that I’ve had time to digest what I saw on my screen, I have to say that Apocalypse Rising is incredibly successful in certain areas and an absolute disaster in other areas. The new movie from Giant Meteor Films and Rathe Productions, which is now available on DVD and VOD courtesy of Gravitas Ventures, is written by Gregory Wolk based on his novel titled ‘The Dead Site.’ The film follows a small group of humans from the planet Rathe as they escape a war torn nation and legions of the undead. Soon they end up on Earth, only to discover that the same disaster that ruined their home is about to be unleashed on Earth. A scorned comrade, a giant whore, and hundreds of flesh eating zombies stand in the way of the group’s survival as they wish to procreate and make a new home on the lively planet. Hunter Parker, Shane Samples, Justin Lebrun, Johanna Rae, Victoria Steadman, James Frey, Kelly Brown, Shiah Luna, David Namminga and Katelyn Levario star in Apocalypse Rising, a new science-fiction thriller from director Richard Lowry.
Style-wise, Apocalypse Rising immediately brought me back to the late 90’s/early 2000’s when television shows like “Battlestar Galactica” and movies like Stargate reigned supreme. Apocalypse Rising could easily have played alongside either of those titles, and if you’re a fan of those types of stories and visuals, then you’re really going to want to check out Apocalypse Rising. This is due to a combination of pre-historic sets decorated with futuristic machines, space travel, practical special effects, and – with respect – production value that’s just below the benchmark; as in it’s great but falls short enough to miss out on a theatrical run. Still, the digital effects are above average, the musical scores are fitting and rousing, the natural locations are beautiful, and all the camera work is clean. Plus, I can definitely get behind a hunk in his underwear swinging around a battle ax for most of the movie. I’m astonished by the level of professionalism from the set builders and set designers, and it’s a miracle that an independent production managed to wrangle that many background extras.
If only Apocalypse Rising kept its story as sharp as its production quality. I know the script was based off of Gregory Wolk’s original novel, but parts of the story come off as… well… stupid. The over-articulate, “I’m smarter than you” language was so forced that it came off awkward. The side-plot of Mia’s superpowers and relationship with her dead father didn’t translate to film well. It’s great that Apocalypse Rising wanted to tackle the theme of religious differences, but showing a zombie Baby Jesus and having a normal, grown Jesus share the stars with other characters was a wee bit hokey. The worst part, though, was the weird sex comedy that was interwoven into the story. All the characters talk about is procreating (fucking) and it’s like throwing American Pie into the middle of Stargate and Night of the Living Dead. The two genres clash, worse than our small group of warriors looking for a new home and the villains standing between them with a ray-stick of death. Then, the film’s creators throw a giant zombie penis into the mix, and I pretty much checked out. Gregory lost control of the story, and I lost interest in the movie.
Apocalypse Rising is directed and edited by Richard Lowry. It was produced by Justin LeBrun and Gregory Wolk, and features cinematography from Brian Hollars. It’s a strange, raunchy, science fiction film that fluidly transitions into a horror-thriller at the 54 minute mark. It features talented actors and wonderful behind-the-scenes work, but the story – to me – was an absolute disaster. Such a let down in terms of plot. Still, it’s good enough to receive a passing score. I think fans of “Andromeda” and “Battlestar Galactica” should give this one a chance, and zombie enthusiasts should check it out if they’ve had a few beers and are seated with a bunch of rambunctious buddies. It’s certainly impressive, but it’s not going to be for everyone. Final Score: 6 out of 10.
