Elevation

So, I sat down to watch Elevation, a film that promises thrills, chills, and a heartwarming tale of survival in a world gone mad. The premise? A single dad (played by the ever-charismatic Anthony Mackie) teams up with a brooding neighbor (Morena Baccarin) and a scrappy young woman (Maddie Hasson) to brave a monstrous, post-apocalyptic hellscape in search of lifesaving medication for Mackie's ailing son. Sounds intense, right? Like a twisted mix of The Last of Us and your standard "let's-go-fetch-the-thing-to-save-the-kid" plot. But here's the thing: while the movie has its moments, it often feels like it's hiking up a steep hill only to find the view from the top isn't all that spectacular.

Let's start with the good. Every now and then, Elevation delivers a solid dose of tension. There's one scene in an abandoned factory where our trio faces off against the film's signature monsters that had me white-knuckling my popcorn. For a brief moment, I thought, "This is it! This is where the movie takes off!" But alas, that moment, much like a cheap rollercoaster, peaked too quickly. The premise is another point in its favor. I mean, who doesn't love a good survival story with high stakes and creepy creatures? On paper, this could've been a genre-defining film. Unfortunately, "on paper" is where the brilliance seems to have stayed.

Now, the not-so-good. If you're planning to watch this movie, pack a snack-and maybe a pillow-because the pacing is slow. Like, snail-on-a-cold-day slow. The film spends so much time building up its characters and world that it forgets to, you know, keep things moving. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for character development. But there's a fine line between deep and dull, and Elevation doesn't always find the balance.

And then there are the special effects. Oh, boy. Let's just say that some of the creature designs wouldn't look out of place in a Syfy original movie circa 2010. I'm not saying the CGI is terrible, but when your big bad monster looks like it moonlights as a Halloween store mascot, you've got a problem. Speaking of problems, the big reveal-this film's pièce de résistance-lands with a thud. After all the buildup, the explanation for the monsters (or lack thereof) feels as satisfying as getting socks for Christmas. Sure, they're practical, but where's the excitement?

But wait, there's more! For a movie that wants to tug at your heartstrings, it sure leans hard on tired tropes. Mackie's kid is sick and needs lifesaving medication, so naturally, our heroes embark on a dangerous quest to save him. Haven't we seen this plot a million times before? It's like the writers took a spin on the Wheel of Emotional Stakes and landed on "sick kid." I wanted to care more, I really did, but this well-worn trope made it hard to fully invest.

And yet, despite its flaws, Elevation isn't a total disaster. Anthony Mackie does his best to elevate the material (pun intended), bringing warmth and gravitas to his role. Morena Baccarin broods like a pro, and Maddie Hasson injects some much-needed energy into the proceedings. The trio has decent chemistry, even if the script doesn't always give them enough to work with. It's clear these actors are doing their damnedest to turn this mixed bag into something worthwhile, and for that, they deserve credit.

Ultimately, Elevation is a film that aims high but doesn't quite stick the landing. It's got moments of tension and a solid premise, but the slow pacing, underwhelming effects, and lackluster payoff hold it back. Think of it as the cinematic equivalent of climbing a hill only to realize the view isn't quite worth the hike. Still, it's not a bad way to spend a lazy weekend-just don't expect it to change your life.

Rating: 5/10. A decent watch for fans of creature features, but not a must-see by any stretch.

It was an interesting concept and an entertaining movie. There are several plot holes, and things that don't make sense. Much less get answered. It's not scary, but it does get a little tense in some spots. Unfortunately a lot of the characters are cliche and the dialogue seems forced sometimes. The mystery of Elevation is the strongest part of the movie. Rarely do I hope for a prequel to explain the story better. However in this case I think one should be made I don't think there will ever be one, my son and I went to it and there was literally only one other person in the theater. In my opinion it is definitely worth a watch.

Started as normal end of world storyline. Humans mostly wiped with small group of humans trying to survive. Good mix of peril and discovery. Movie got to point with 90 minute runtime. Quickly establish a reason for me to keep watching.

The character cast was interesting enough and not annoying. Some favorites actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Little character development, honestly I was fine that.

If you liked Quiet Place then you will like this movie. Also this gave me Godzilla monster vibes.

The ending made it worth the watch. Hopefully this will spawn a series or another movie.

Go see this movie!

3.125 STARS - Elevation is a post-apocalyptic monster movie where most of humanity has been destroyed and those who survived are only doing so because they learned that the creatures can't go beyond 8,000 feet of elevation. The trigger for the story in this film is that a small group of the survivors must journey into dangerous territory to acquire some life-saving supplies. While it felt rather generic, this isn't the worst I've ever seen. The ending felt a tad too compressed, and because of that, it probably could have benefitted a bit from a few more minutes in that part. Though it clearly got its inspiration from other movies that have done it better, it added its own unique twist on things that made it at least interesting enough to not outright hate. Anthony Mackie and Monica Baccarin performed well here - especially with Monica, during a moment of emotional distress for her character. The main things that jumped out to me as negatives were the typical perfect-timing scenarios that happened toward the end and the predictable character death/situations that occurred. Other than that, it didn't feel flawed enough to recommend a hard pass on. Also, there is a small mid-credits scene to watch if you're interested. Video review to come shortly.

I kind of see this as a series. There's a unknown, enemy, unknown motivation, and a world that needs to be retaken. If it's a stand alone film, it's meh. I mean it entertains but it's derivative and lacking in true imagination. If it's a pilot or the first of a series of B movies I think it had real potential.

Regardless, it's better than expected. I definitely think it's worth a watch. The special effects are okay, acting is okay, the monster is lame but the twist at the end gives it legs, it makes you want more, and definitely want an explanation. I hope we at least get a sequel follow up that fills in the missing info.