In the impending flick "Elevation," art eerily echoes life, introducing a gloom-laden and perilous future America. The movie isn't about civil unrest, but more of a jolting monster film wherein sinister creatures obliterate human existence below an altitude of 8,000 feet. This George Nolfi's thriller stars Anthony Mackie, whose character is a father forced to delve into a dangerous zone to cater to his son's health requirements.
John Glenn, Jacob Roman, and Kenny Ryan's script commences with a prolonged black screen against an increasingly fraught backdrop of news fragments, inferring a disastrous chain of cataclysms that force people to retreat to higher grounds.
Fast forward to three years later, the Rocky Mountains remain as stunning as ever, but now house monstrous, seemingly invincible creatures dubbed "Reapers" that exterminated most beings living at lower altitudes. A curious 8-year-old Hunter (Danny Boyd Jr.) finds himself barely escaping these terrifying beings.
The plot thickens as Hunter grows up in an isolated mountain town bereft of any other children – or his mother, who hasn't returned from a disastrous expedition with a disgruntled scientist neighbor, Nina (Morena Baccarin). Resurfacing past tensions, Nina eventually joins Hunter's father, Will (Mackie), in a desperate journey to acquire medical supplies for Hunter's recurring breathing issues.
Despite the dangerous creatures sensing fresh human presence, the group continues their perilous journey in search of a solution for mankind's survival against the formidable creatures. With hope hanging by a thread, the possibility of an even bigger threat surfaces right at the movie's climactic frontier.
"Elevation," while built on familiar tropes, offers polished and thrilling entertainment. The movie might lack novelty but compensates with commendable pacing and craftsmanship, making a 90-minute watch worthwhile.
