Arcadian is a 2024 post-apocalypticactionhorror film directed by Ben Brewer from a screenplay by Michael Nilon. It stars Nicolas Cage as the father of two teenage boys, all trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.
In the opening scene, Paul flees amidst the chaos of what appears to be the end of civilization, sirens blaring and explosions echoing in the background. He seeks refuge in a hidden spot, cradling his two infant boys, reassuring them that they will be safe. Fifteen years later, Paul and his twin sons, Joseph and Thomas, live in a remote farmhouse; they find tranquility by day but fear the night. One evening, panic ensues when Thomas doesn't return home from the nearby Rose farm as the sun begins to set. Eventually, he arrives, and during dinner, it becomes apparent that he is the bigger risk-taker of the two brothers, while Joseph appears more intellectual and talks about ways of improving their situation beyond mere survival.
After dinner, they board up the windows and doors before moving upstairs. Later, they hear loud banging on the door, which ceases after three attempts. The next morning, they find deep gouges on the outside of the door.
Paul convinces Joseph to reveal what he has been working on in the barn, which turns out to be an off-road utility vehicle. With Paul's help, the engine roars to life. All three of them climb into the vehicle, and Paul teaches Joseph how to drive it.
Before going back to the house, Paul reminds the boys that they need to complete their chores. Thomas protests that he wanted to go to the Rose farm, where he secretly has a crush on Charlotte, but Paul insists he stay home to help.
Once they are far enough, Thomas decides to leave and asks Joseph to meet him later at the barn so they can return home together. However, Thomas gets sidetracked, and then runs recklessly, trying to get back in time. He trips and falls into a crevice, losing consciousness in a cave. With darkness coming on, Paul sets out to find him, eventually discovering him in the cave and deciding they must spend the night there for safety.
Meanwhile, home alone, Joseph successfully traps one of the intruders, intending to study it later. In the cave, Paul and Thomas fend off relentless attacks from the creatures thanks to an explosive that badly injures Paul. The next morning, Joseph uses the car and finds them. While wondering what to do with their unconscious father, Thomas learns about the captured creature and tells Joseph they need to kill it, which they end up doing.
The boys then decide to bring their father to the Rose farm, but the parents insist they can't spare any medicine to help him, though they allow Thomas to stay. Joseph returns home with Paul. Thomas finds medicine and tries to take it back to his father. As he leaves, he is captured at gunpoint by someone from the farm.
Back home, Joseph discovers a hidden hole forming under a carpet, finally understanding why the creatures kept attacking them every night[clarification needed]. He then starts preparing a trap to kill all of them.
At the Rose farm, as Thomas is about to be shot for stealing the medicine, the creatures attack and kill everyone except Thomas and Charlotte, who escape to Paul's farm. There, they find Joseph, who explains everything, and they prepare for a last stand.
As the creatures attack, Paul, knowing he will not survive, sacrifices himself to buy time so the three teenagers can hide in a freezer while the house blows up.[clarification needed] The next day, the three set out in the car to check on other farms and possible survivors in the area.
RLJE Films acquired distribution rights for North America, the UK, Australia, and Ireland, scheduling a theatrical release for April 12, 2024, followed by a streaming release later in the year on Shudder and AMC+.[7]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 92 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.4/10.The website's consensus reads: "Led by a trio of strong performances, Arcadian blends family drama and post-apocalyptic horror to visceral, emotionally stirring effect."[8]Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 60 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[9]
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