Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Arcadian Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 28, 2024

Nicolas Cage is usually the most dominant element of any feature he appears in. That’s just his natural speed, and it’s served him well, especially in recent years where he’s been tasked with making low-budget films as appealing as possible. For “Arcadian,” Cage remains as committed to the endeavor as possible, but he’s asked to play a parental figure, and one on a mission to keep his children safe from an apocalyptic situation. There’s a real feeling of fatherly concern in the picture, which Cage plays superbly, but “Arcadian” is more than just a vehicle for the star. Writer Michael Nilon creates a small-scale but suspenseful survival story, approaching the expectations for a monster movie from interesting perspectives. And director Benjamin Brewer contributes a dark understanding of threat in a rural setting, maintaining a compelling balance between genre achievements and more heartfelt moments among troubled characters.

Escaping from the city, Paul (Nicolas Cage) is left in charge of two infant boys, feeling the weight of the responsibility ahead of him as the world experiences a deadly invasion. 15 years later, Paul has worked to fortify a country house, raising Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins) to prepare for threat to arrive every single night. The father has created a routine of security and boundaries, allowing Thomas to visit a nearby farm that’s home to Charlotte (Sadie Soverall), a teen girl who welcomes the company. Joseph remains in his room figuring out inventions to help the family, watching his father stay on high alert for danger at all hours of the day. After paying a secret visit to Charlotte and her family, Thomas slips into a chasm on his way home, getting stuck in a dangerous area, forcing Paul to set out and find his child. Joseph stays back and deals with a fresh threat at the house, confronted by the monsters who arrive at night, eager to feast on human prey.

There’s only a brief moment with Paul and his babies, and it’s a profound one. He’s stunned by the next chapter of his life, but ready to continue on by himself as the city he once called home collapses into chaos. “Arcadian” makes a time jump, returning to Paul 15 years later, where he’s created some level of safety in a remote dwelling, paying close attention to securing it right before sundown. What’s exactly coming for him and his kids isn’t a mystery, but Brewer takes his time revealing the threat, with the material more focused on the household dynamic and the procedure of locking everything down as the boys return home for the night. This includes the identification of “boundaries,” which Thomas is ready to cross in pursuit of his crush, Charlotte, and the seemingly more functional life she leads with her guardians. Joseph is younger, content to play chess and sketch out designs for mechanical devices, developing an intelligence Paul is grateful for.

“Arcadian” highlights sibling unrest, with Thomas and Joseph not always getting along, allowing things to become physical, putting Paul into dad mode. There’s also moments of solitude as the three characters experience a brief sense of peace, with Paul smoking in the woods while Joseph works on his creations. The movie snaps to attention with the arrival of monsters, finding the beasts checking the door for access, keeping the characters on edge. And there’s time for household adventures, including Joseph’s opportunities to drive a cart around the area, making some strange discoveries while out on his own. Suspense flows throughout the feature, but a true crisis breaks out at the midway point, separating the characters as night arrives, finding Paul hunting for Thomas, who’s freshly exposed to danger from the invaders. It’s a sequence of parental protection that defines the journey of “Arcadian,” also introducing a new set of survival challenges for the characters.

Arcadian Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation deals with an extremely dark movie at times, and "Arcadian" is fond of jerky handheld cinematography. Detail, when available, is mostly intact, capturing skin particulars on battered characters. Household destruction also delivers textures. Exteriors retain some depth with rural activity. Color is mostly muted, with limited lighting, but primaries on clothing are preserved, along with greenery. Skin tones are natural. Elements of fire retain orangey glow. Delineation thickens up on occasion, but little is lost to solidification. Compression doesn't hold together, with banding periodic, along with some posterization.

Arcadian Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix offers clear dialogue exchanges, balancing more heated encounters with quieter moments of survival and emotion. Scoring is secure, with defined instrumentation. Surrounds explore musical moods, but mostly remain alert with sound effects, detailing creature activity and especially insect swarming. Atmospherics are appreciable. Low-end supplies some weight with violent attacks and property damage.

Arcadian Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Visual Effects: Behind the Scenes" (4:24, HD) offers video conference interviews with visual effects supervisors Zac Stoltz and Ben Burrell, who explore the evolution of the creatures featured in "Arcadian."

• Interviews (HD) feature conversations about "Arcadian" with director Benjamin Brewer & producer David Wulf (2:51), actor Jaeden Martell (2:03), and actor Maxwell Jenkins (2:10). The clips also offer some insight into Nicolas Cage's presence on the set, and supply snippets of BTS footage.

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Arcadian Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brewer keeps the feature dark, with the world's lack of power inspiring fire-lit cinematography, which is also an effective way to cover low-budget CGI creations. However, the monsters are wonderfully designed, offering some real screen fights with their furiously snapping jaws and bizarre digestion process. Brewer gets a fear factor going in the film, and Nilon adds troubles for everyone as the neighborhood breaks down. Horror elements do connect here, but the writing isn't pursuing an invasion movie in full, electing to use these scenes to reinforce the power of the relationships and intensity of feelings. It's more of a coming-of-age tale than a shocker, but "Arcadian" works on both levels, supported by delicate acting and confident direction.