In a near future, normal life on Earth has been decimated. Paul and his two sons, Thomas and Joseph, have been living a half-life – tranquility by day and torment by night. Every night, after the sun sets, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil. A film by Benjamin Brewer, starring Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Sadie Soverall.

Paul (Nicolas Cage) is fleeing the city in an apocalyptic world. He quickly jogs through dark and gloomy alleys, passing figures sprawled on the ground. The air throbbed with the sounds of explosion, missile fire, sirens, and military announcements. When he reaches a deserted cabin in the nearby forest, he cradles two babies while comforting them.

The scene cuts to 15 years later. Paul has two teenage sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins). Thomas works at a nearby film set owned by the Rose family. Joseph, on the other hand, seems more intellectual, spending his time tinkering with machines in the barn. Survivors are scared of the night. Paul becomes frustrated when Thomas doesn’t return on time.

When Thomas returns, Paul quickly leads him inside their house. That night, as Paul notices the dog is acting out, Thomas rushes to grab a lantern and heads downstairs to check on the door. A loud, repetitive banging suddenly assaults the door. Paul comes down and helps Thomas hold it. They retreat upstairs after the banging stops. Joseph tells them that he counted the creature’s attacks on the door three times. He believes: the first one was a test, the second was an actual attempt to break through, and the third might be frustration. Joseph thinks that these creatures are smart and they may get creative in the future.

The next day, Joseph shows Paul a rudimentary car he’s been building, hoping it could help with work around the house. However, the car won’t start. Paul swaps the relays and the car starts. He then teaches Joseph the basics of driving. Insists that Thomas accompany Joseph down the river and gather materials to reinforce the house’s windows. Though Paul tells Thomas he can go to the Rose farm tomorrow, Thomas decides to go immediately and leaves Joseph to go down the river alone.

At Rose farm, Thomas spends time with Charlotte (Sadie Soverall). They play a game called Crappy Apocalypse, where each person has to explain what caused the apocalypse in ten seconds. Charlotte goes first, explaining that a mysterious bug bite caused a widespread infection. Thomas counters with his own theory: people inhaled a purple haze that turned them into wolves who vanished into the forest. It appears that none of them really know how the world actually ended nor where the night creatures came from.

Taking his usual route through the forest, Thomas cuts through the darkness that evening. However, he slips and falls into a crevice, blacking out. Back home, Paul doesn’t see Thomas and learns he never went with Joseph. Paul instructs Joseph to secure the house until morning while he goes searching for his son. While Paul is away, Joseph takes a daring chance. He lures the creature into a trap, using himself as bait, and successfully captures it.

Directed by American filmmaker Benjamin Brewer, with a screenplay by Michael Nilon, ARCADIAN delivers chills with its suspenseful horror elements. The film shines brightest when the mysterious creatures emerge from the darkness, launching unpredictable attacks on people. The creature design is incredibly memorable, exuding a sinister aura and feeling like something alien and out-of-this-world.

Nicolas Cage portrays a low-key character, functioning more like a supporting role for the younger generation: Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins, and Sadie Soverall. (Nicolas Cage’s character spends most of the second half of the film unconscious.)

The film does lack character development. However, character development becomes somewhat secondary when the mysterious creature takes center stage. It grabs our attention with its protruding, alien-like jaws snapping violently – a truly glorious spectacle!

ARCADIAN premiered at SXSW on 11 March 2024. The film was theatrically released in the United States on 12 April.