Anyone who knows me knows my particular affinity for bizarre, low-budget Sci-Fi movies. The inherent challenges of telling a science-based and/or futuristic story with very little or no money to dress up the presentation are endearing. It’s an uphill battle the whole way and the filmmakers know it. There are plenty of good ideas in the genre but execution is the difference between success and failure. Finding the right balance of concept, character, and visuals is not easy and that’s why so many of these films end up near obscurity. The memorable ones tend to focus primarily on the concept and characters, using visual effects subtly and sparingly to punctuate ideas. Captive State had the potential but the energy was focused in the wrong areas making for a stylistic yet ultimately predictable Sci-Fi thriller.
Rupert Wyatt did a fantastic job rebranding with Rise of the Planet of the Apes which reignited a dying franchise. It had a very personal story with heart and, even though you had a pretty good idea where things would eventually wind up, didn’t feel predictable. Seemingly all of that was missing this time out. Not so dissimilar to Rise, this story focuses on a small group of rebels and the forces trying to eradicate them but that’s about as far as it goes. Wyatt co-wrote the screenplay with Erica Beeney who has a short resume and no science fiction experience. The blame can’t be placed solely on her but the script lacked direction and the most obvious answer to the riddle that was laid out is exactly what happened. Sure, it took a lot of detours to get there but, at the end of the day, there was a lot of misdirection for no real reason. Beyond that, the emotional focus of the plot was sloppy. The two main characters have competing narratives rather than complementary ones. Instead of a plot and subplot, these two are in competition for the audience’s attention and sympathy. Neither of them has fully fleshed out foundations and both of their emotional arcs fall short as a result of trying to play the “twist” game. The idea was there but the execution missed the mark.
Ashton Sanders has shown steady growth as a performer since breaking through in Moonlight (2016) so I was excited to see him have the chance to carry this kind of film. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Someone in the production queue apparently thought he wouldn’t be able to sell this movie by himself so that’s where John Goodman came in as the other lead. They are both good individually but limited by the script choices and, as a result, they never really get to develop any substantive chemistry with one another either. There are glimpses of animosity and paternal care in their relationship but it’s quickly glossed over in favor of keeping things mysterious. Clearly, that wasn’t enough either since Sheila Jaffe and Joan Philo cast reputable veterans such as Vera Farmiga, Kevin Dunn, Alan Ruck, and Kevin J. O’Connor to help lighten the load. That’s a lot of big-name talent for a fairly off-the-radar movie but that didn’t move the needle much either at the box office, drawing only about $3-million on its opening weekend.
If I had to bet, the majority of the estimated $25-million budget was mostly spent on the cast but Keith P. Cunningham’s production design was still pretty effective. The minimalist approach was basically forced but it paired nicely with the key thematic elements of the story. The design of the alien creatures was interesting as well but never explained, so it kinda seemed to exist for the couple of scenes where you actually see them. Beyond the visual realm, Rob Simonsen composed some really energetic and pulse-pounding trance music to help guide the frantic nature of the story. The best soundtrack in the world wasn’t going to be enough to carry this movie through the pitfalls but it was certainly one of the strengths.
Captive State really wasn’t all that bad, it was just misguided and it felt long at an hour and 49-minutes. The political hammering will likely be offputting to a certain percentage of the audience but it’s not the end of the world. The studio should have pushed this movie back a few weeks to compete with Shazam! to start April rather than releasing it in the rapidly expanding shadow of Captain Marvel. They missed the boat there but that’s only one of several missteps.
Recommendation: This is the perfect movie to stream, from the comfort of your own home where the expectations are low.