Synopsis:
The apocalypse proves a blessing in disguise for one lucky recluse — until a second survivor arrives with the threat of companionship.
I Think We're Alone Now is a post-apocalyptic film starring Elle Fanning and Peter Dinklage. The film was written by Mike Makowsky and directed by Reed Morano and is due to be released on November 19th.
While I Think We're Alone Now is still most definitely a post-apocalyptic film, it does not slide neatly into any box. The apocalyptic meta has been very much ruled by horror films for the longest of times and has been looked at through almost every lens, from comedy to shock-horror, Mad Max to A Quiet Place — it's almost always action, sometimes comedy, rarely drama. I Think We're Alone Now falls mostly into the drama category, with a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in for good measure.
Dinklage plays Del, an introverted recluse that seems to be taking the apocalypse well. He spends his days cleaning up the ghost town within which he resides, burying the bodies of the deceased and single-handedly keeping everything in order. He goes fishing, scavenges, and lives a monotonous but structured existence. When Grace (Elle Fanning), arrives in his cosy little town, Del is thrown off balance, but the two quickly form a bond.
While the first act sets the scene and introduces us to hour characters, the second — the growth of Del and Grace's friendship — is really very slow. The atmosphere, the acting, the mood; all fantastic and beautifully executed, but the pace was definitely a little sluggish. The last act takes a very hard turn into different territory, but I'm sure most of you don't want any spoilers, so I'll add an extra little paragraph at the end for those that want a little more detail about why the film Is advertised as a sci-fi drama.
The score is beautifully haunting, and along with the editing and cinematography, really make I Think We're Alone Now a feast for the senses. It's a very well-made movie, but with very little happening for most of it, which was a little disappointing. There was a nice nod to Kafka's The Metamorphosis, and definitely a good deal of food for thought at the end about the nature of humanity and what it means to be alive, but I found it too little too late.
Ultimately, what we get is an art film rather than a big-budget blockbuster. Everything is carefully thought out, well shot, and beautifully assembled. It's heartfelt, feeling more like a chaotic romance or coming-of-age film rather than something set after the end of the world. It is not what I was expecting, and while I can appreciate the beauty and skills required to make such a powerful, emotive movie, it really wasn't for me — too few zombies, almost no blood, no irradiated monstrosities...you get the picture. Thanks for reading and as always, stay sordid. Trailer, poster, and spoilers below.
Heavy Spoilers Ahead
Once we enter the third act, we are introduced to Grace's parents, whom we later discover aren't who they seem to be. While Del has been living peacefully on his own, a group of surviving, genius scientists have created a utopia of obedient wives and children by erasing all negative thoughts and memories, essentially creating suburban zombies that live the perfect American dream, a restructured society after the fall of civilization. Ignoring the major plot-holes, this is an obvious play on the usual post-apocalyptic vision of the world in chaos, portraying the perfection of what the ideal reality is for some, but in a horrific way. The shots of the altered inhabitants are meant to make us feel sorry for them as we look upon their fake society, structured on inhumane practices and ideologies. It is a clever end to the film, but is more of a critique of society rather than something cohesive and coherent to the film.
