Movie Review: ‘APOCALYPSE, CA’

Supposedly the end of the world is too happen next December. If the Mayans are right, we will experience our final Christmas in a few weeks. Chad Peter‘s Apocalypse, CA introduces us to his version of the end of the world and while most independent filmmakers tend to try to aim for Hollywood ideologies, director Peter focuses on what makes independent cinema so popular among movie fans.

The film involves a group of 20 something’s who are planning out their final days. There is an asteroid on the way to collide into Earth. We follow John as he is motivated by the disastrous events and decides to try and seek out his childhood love, Jacklyn. When that doesn’t work out like expected, he is visited by a mysterious pirate radio DJ to grant his wish of developing a relationship with Jacklyn. What happens when he wakes up is a body switch. Now, he must find a way to make this fleshy mixup right while still trying to accomplish his goal. You mix in some weird sexual situations towards the end with a buxom blonde, Renee and even a 300 foot woman destroying everything in her path and you get a pretty unique tale.

The production value of the film is very well done. Shot on a Panasonic HVX200 with a Letus 35mm adapter, the film mixes in live action and visual effects seamlessly which could have been a crutch if it wasn’t pulled off so well. Themes of the 50’s atomic age seem to be in the background of the film while some modern themes of heroism are introduced in the beginning and quickly abandoned which could be counted negatively towards the film but you will just be amazed at how the scale of the story was handled that these can just be written off as minor quibbles. Obviously some of Peter’s technical knowledge definitely masks what problems I had with the acting. While some might have issues with the story, or lack of thereof, I personally took it to heart as just a carefree documentation on humanity and how people would deal with something like the end of days. Part of me wishes that the whole body exchange was left out but it is hard to confide in this theory as it serves as the catalyst for John and Jacklyn to explore who they really are.

What Chad Peter does with the film is pretty damn slick. I have seen a lot of low budget to no budget films and while this still has some aspects and maybe even some of the cons of not having a budget, particularly with the acting, the pros definitely outweigh the cons. Apocalypse, CA mixes the spirit of Alex Cox’s Repo Man with some of best aspects of a road trip movie or a buddy comedy to great indie results.

You can find out more information at http://www.apocalypseca.com. The film will be released on December 13, 2011.

Trailer

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