28th October 2018 | 31 Days of “Alternative” Horror: Extinction
This movie Extinction has quite a captivating look to it. It is not all greys and low saturation, but delivers glorious sunlight cues, as if it is always there, and yet too far to reach on the distant horizon. Characters here are trapped in a metaphorical bubble, or dare I say snow globe. Pedro De Gaspar and Miguel Riesco’s detailed production design played a vital part in creating a world gone wrong. That bubble is also symbolic of “relative safety” for in any post-apocalyptic world; safety is never absolute, which is the first of many setups that actually pays off.
We are at first blasted into the world of chaos. Many of the population have been wiped out by a virus, and it seems, in this part of the US, those who are selected travel under military escort — however, as we come to know in these films, this is not to protect, but more to control. We follow two such buses with survivors in transit. The rear bus has our characters: Jack, played by Jeffrey Donovan, Patrick, Lost’s Matthew Fox, and Emma played briefly by Valeria Vereau with baby Lu, all traveling together. Jack and Patrick are both there for Lu — a baby caught within a paternity triangle between husband and lover. The question of paternity is a possessive issue over whom is the guardian of Lu — even though we know Patrick is her father. The truth and responsibility is in the hands of two, and nobody else can intervene. When it comes to surviving and keeping your loved one safe, it becomes an issue that divides both men: that and the spirit of hope versus hopelessness.
After gunfire rings out in the first bus ahead, the path is suddenly overrun by zombie. Everybody left alive scrambles out of both buses, and midst of all the chaos, Emma and Lu, Jack and Patrick are separated. Emma gets bitten by a zombie, thus ending her journey. Nine years after Emma’s death, we are transported to an endless snow setting where our characters have learnt to survive, on their own in their own specific way. We have Patrick, who is now a long haired, wilderness stricken, broken mess who’s only company is a dog. Jack who is the together, the sharp, the calm groomed and collected family orientated survivor, and the obvious suitor to bring up Lu who is just turning ten years old. Now, with their world filled with a sub species of zombie — which appear as a mixture of Gollum and Voldemort — nothing is taken for granted.
The relationships between Jack, Patrick and Lu are a blend reminiscent of characters from the post-apocalyptic game, The Last of Us: in game characters Ellie and Joel echo strongly, even though the game had its audience with them on a proactive level. If you are not familiar with this incredible first person experience, you can watch the gameplay and feel truly a part of a world where these characters live and breathe. I experienced a whirlwind of emotion playing The Last of Us, and I felt a lot of those vibes here too, and not just because of taking comfort in the comparison, but because in Extinction, we get time to know the characters.
Even when Jack and Patrick really come to odds, they emote with our blessing for we know enough to let them have at it. Strangely enough, sometimes, they have us smiling. Humour may be sparse, but is played well against the survival story and their getting on with the business and routine of life.
This is a coming of age tale too with Lu learning to spill blood in order to continue the hope for the human race. It is a refreshing take, a well-tailored character — not zombie — focused horror movie.
Written by: Stephen Radford
website: stephenradford.com
Next: 29th October: Hide and Seek
