Director: John Erick Dowdle
Starring: Owen Wilson, Lake Bell, Sterling Jerins, Claire Geare, Pierce Brosnan
Studio: Bold Films, Brothers Dowdle Productions
Distributed by: The Weisteins Company, Captive Cinema
Release Date: August 26, 2015
Plot: An American family trying to start a new life somewhere in Southeast Asia finds themselves caught in the middle of a coup. They desperately try to escape the mob of people who are hunting down foreigners and executing them all over the country.
The first time I've seen the trailer of this film, I immediately fell in love with it. The trailer gave me very high expectations about the film and was really looking forward to see it. I was so happy when I learned that the film will finally be released in theatres this August 26. So I place a reminder on my phone's calendar on the said date to make sure that I will be able to see it that exact day right away. But when I found out that Captive Cinema, the local distributor of the film was having an advanced sneak preview of the film weeks before it's release, I immediately ran to my local cinema to catch it. And I was not disappointed. It was a hell-of-a-ride.
So let me give you some of my thoughts about the film before you go ahead and see it in cinemas this August 26.
It Mirrors Real-life Incidents All Over Asia
If you've watched the trailer for the film, you might think that the film is somewhat based on a real-life incident in Southeast Asia. The film was shot on location in Thailand, with Thai extras carrying out various roles in it. Thailand has been known not only for it's beautiful country, but also due to it's political incidents such as the 2014 Thai coup d'état. But after watching the film and researching more about it, I found out that it's somehow mirrors the Cambodian Genocide that was carried out by the Khmer Rouge (KR) regime led by Pol Pot between 1975 and 1979 in which an estimated one and a half to three million people died. Also, in one of the scenes in the film, the police force that were trying to stop the murderous crowd had shields that had inverted Cambodian letters on it. Also, in the film, people also wear kramas which is a Cambodian item of dress. A krama is a traditional Cambodian piece of cloth with a checkered red and white pattern
pattern used as a headcover, a scarf and even to carry children. The cloth is a Cambodian national symbol.
This is probably the reason why the film has been banned already in Cambodia just after the trailer of the film was released, even if the real setting of the film was not really mentioned in the movie. This actually adds up to the realistic feel of the film. Being a resident in another country in Southeast Asia, I feel somewhat disturbed that this might also happen in my own country. Which is really scary, come to think of it.
Features Amazing Performances from It's Cast
The first time I saw Owen Wilson in this film, I actually thought of other films starring him that I've watched before aside from comedy movies and I really can't think of one. I'm used to seeing him doing comedy movies and I'm not really used to him playing a serious role. But I was quite amazed by how he played the role of a father who had to fight for his family's survival. He was really good at it, especially during the scene where he had to throw his daughter from one rooftop to another to escape the rebels hunting them.
Lake Bell is also amazing in her role as Wilson's wife. Her face conveys her character's emotions as if she is really on a life-and-death situation as depicted in the film. Pierce Brosnan, on the other hand is just like his character in his Bond movies, blowing people's heads' off with gusto. His character adds more fun and excitement to the whole movie and gives us viewers a relief from all the tension.
Great Direction, Cinematography
Another aspect of the film that contributes to it's success is it's marvelous direction from John Erick Dowdle. He makes a lot of use of slow-motion effects which adds up to the suspense of the film. He also uses a lot of moments wherein the family would just whisper things to each other to know that everyone's doing okay. They interact like a normal family, making their characters more real. He handles the story and characters with great care and what we get as results are amazing.
Nail-Biting Thrills All Throughout
From the part where Owen Wilson's character get's stuck in a riot between the rebels and the police force up to the moment that he is already in the run with his family, this film will really make you go crazy. The realistic setting of the film and the feeling that this can happen in real life adds up to the scariness of the whole situation. It pulls you into the action and hits you with more pressure until your head blows up.
I must say that this is the only movie that had me slouch so down low on my seat that I almost fell down to the floor during one of the most mind-jarring and nail-biting moments of the film. The tension is just so much that I can really feel my heart beating so fast. It's like a mixture of feelings: you're scared and so tensed, but you enjoy that kind of feeling and you crave for more. Good thing, the film never disappoints and loads you up and hit you more and more.
Final Verdict:
This is one of my most recommended films of the year. The film gives you what it has promised: non-stop thrills and nail-biting tension all throughout. Once it grabs you, it will never let you go 'til the very end. Definitely something that you shouldn't miss.
I am giving this a rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
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