Director – Emir Skalonja (Holland Road Massacre: The Legend of Pigman, The Butcher)
Starring – Michelina Houlihan (Jericho, Flesh of My Flesh), Krystal Shenk (Till Death Do We Rot, The Plague), and Kristina Santiago (Dick Johnson & Tommygun vs. The Cannibal Cop, Cool as Hell 2)
Release Date – 2020
Rating – 3.5/5
Tagline – “The end is nigh…and it will be bloody”
The world has gone to shit and current politics in the U.S. has made a shitty situation even shittier. With politics aside, millions of Americans are at home right now doing their best to quarantine and stay healthy. While some are going stir crazy or stepping on their spouse’s last nerve others are taking this time to be creative.
Last month I reviewed Emir Skalonja and Foxtrot Production’s new slasher Holland Road Massacre: The Legend of Pigman and really enjoy it. Emir turned his downtime into productivity and wrapped filming a new post-apocalyptic film mirroring what is happening today with the pandemic. He recently reached out to me to review Anthropocene and I quickly said yes. Thanks Emir!
**Spoiler Alert**The world enters a dark age when food and water becomes scarce and soon after a new virus lays waste to those living. Now a select few roam the lands searching for food and water while keeping a vigilant eye open for cannibals also out searching for their next meal. **Spoiler Alert**
Emir Skalonja is a filmmaker that does mix it up on his fans by delivering films from different sub-genres but it’s evident that he really enjoys post-apocalyptic horror films. I love how he was able to take his free time during a pandemic to work on a film that features deadly parallels to the struggles we are facing today.
The acting in this one is pretty solid. Michelina Houlihan has a pretty demanding role but she does a great job. Her performance is not dialogue heavy but her scenes required a lot of focus and a wide range of emotions. She does a fantastic job and carried the film on her shoulders. Another Foxtrot regular, Krystal Shenk, delivers in this film. Her performance does get pretty fucking intense and she knocks it out of the park. The supporting cast is solid but their characters do not stand out as well as these two do.
The story for this one is a work of fiction but a lot of today’s “new normal” is worked in just to give it that grounded and bleak atmosphere. Seeing those with the sense to wear masks have to fight for their lives against those that refuse to wear them and see others as a food source is, sadly, not far from the truth as this time. The movie really does show you how shellfish and self-centered the human race really can be even when faced with death. They still refuse to work together to find a solution. The movie leaves it’s mark and hits hard.
Finally, the film has several death scenes. Some are more enjoyable than others and the practical effects look great. The kills we get are nothing knew or inventive but they work very well for the film. Overall, Anthropocene is a slow burn but the story speaks volumes. The cast is absolutely fantastic and I can see myself revisiting this one. I highly suggest you check out this one whenever you get the chance. You will not be disappointed.
