Acide

In the middle of a heat wave, an ominous cloud appears and with it, a lethal acid rain. A separated family: father (Guillaume Canet) , mother (Patience Munchenbach) and daughter (Laeitita Dosch) will have to come together to getaway this plague ravaging the world. An ominous cloud is slowly moving inland, forcing the population to run away. As the cloud keeps on moving forward inescapably, panic strikes. The cloud is acid !.

After his acclaimed and famous first film, 'The Cloud' , nominated for the César and Lumiere awards for best first film in 2022, director Just Philippot releases this impactful thriller nominated for best film at the 2023 Sitges Festival. The film is based on Philippot's short film of the same name released in 2018.

In 'Acide' , filmmaker Philippot takes up the criticism against climate change and its consequences that began with 'The cloud', putting into focus the story of a fractured family that must survive a world plunged into chaos, panic and destruction. A passable french film that translates of intelligent manner the emotions, reactions, tension and pieces so well known from works about same theme, here almost everything was done on set, with minimal CGI work needed. The cinematography, the performance, music, the use of light, the make up , the contryside scenes are just acceptable.

The movie depicts the effort of the parents to save their daughter. As well as the run, the sacrifice of the father, the reactions of others, the necessity of self conservation, containing inspired details, and some splendid crafted scenes.

The interpretations are decent and the pace of the film keeps things moving over any small quibbles in the detail. The cast includes to Guillaume Canet (the beach), and Laetiitia Dosch (nominated for the César in 2018 for best new actress for Montparnasse Bienvenue).

The film was professionally directed by Just Philippot, though results to slow and a small boring part, along with too many night scenes in which you can barely see anything. Philippot previously directed ¨The Cloud (La nuée) ¨, ¨4 histoires fantastiques¨and shorts as: Acid¨,¨Dig Down Deep¨ and ¨Ses Souffles¨. ¨Acide¨ got various prizes and nominations, such as: Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival 2023 Nominated Official Fantàstic Competition Best Motion Picture Just Philippot. César Awards, France 2024 Nominated César Best Visual Effects (Meilleurs effets visuels) Thomas Duval. Fant, Bilbao Fantasy Film Festival nominated Guillaume Canet, Patience Munchenbach, and Laetitia Dosch in Lluvia ácida (2023) 2024 Nominado Jury Prize.

I really liked the first act of the movie with an interesting set up and dynamics but unfortunately, the movie falls apart due to poor writing and uninteresting characters. "Acid" is the type of movie where it contains an interesting concept about environmental disasters but unfortunately fails to fulfill it's potential because of the messy writing where concepts are all over the place, certain amounts of logic that really doesn't make any sense and characters that are not interesting and honestly, REALLY unlikeable.

The camerawork, the sound designs and the color presentations are pretty good. The performances from the cast members are solid as they have some decent moments of emotions. Including some solid special effects and make up used. But the negative components really overshadow the movie. Disaster movies like this I can watch just for fun popcorn but the unlikable characters, plot holes, and the messy writing makes it difficult to really believe much of this movie.

The premise of acid-rain and climate collapse was potentially interesting and thus why I watched it in the first place. But the cinematography and effects were confusing, I couldn't tell when or where's it was safe to go. So that ends up being disappointing. But the worst are the characters and their "development". You get a very hazy backstory, a sick girlfriend, and hostile divorced parents with a teenage daughter who lives up to the stereotypical obnoxious teenage girl role. Her father has this nefarious past, one of many storylines that go nowhere. It's hard to say if she even likes her parents. They have no real heart-to-heart talks because they're running for safety. I get that -except - the daughter makes no attempts because ALL SHE DOES is scream non-stop for either mama or papa...mostly because she thinks she knows everything and ignores their attempts to keep her safe.. and then she starts screaming for them again.

This could have been an interesting climate-change horror story, instead it becomes a story of people we don't get to know...except that they are stuck with an unlikeable teenager who, I suspect, none of us end up rooting for.

Maybe prescient is the word I'm circling around here? Enter a very French tale about the future imperfect, amounting to more or less an environmental horror yarn evoking those 1970s nature run amuck flicks. The cinematography and editing grab and grip, especially the intro, vibrating almost with a sense of January 6 chaos. But as the tale reveals it's a survive-if-you-can story of fractured family amid a fractured world and Mother Nature will have her day on Anvers! Or something. The narrative traipses plausible ish, and the effects come across as not so unbelievable. My kingdom for a concrete bunker already!

Acide (2023) Review Rating: 9/10

Just Philippot's *Acide* is a visually stunning French thriller about a family surviving lethal acid rains. While the plot wobbles, its technical brilliance overshadows flaws. Olivier Boonjing's cinematography is jaw-dropping: toxic fog, neon chaos, and harrowing close-ups immerse you. Guillaume Canet and Laetitia Dosch deliver perfect, career-defining performances, balancing desperation and tenderness. François-Eudes Chanfrault's score amplifies dread with minimalist drones and haunting piano motifs. The story's ambiguity might frustrate, but *Acide* favors visceral emotion over closure. A sensory triumph where artistry eclipses narrative hiccups. Unforgettable.