Movie Review: The Collapsed (2011)

Directed by Justin McConnell

Starring John Fantasia, Steve Vieira and Anna Ross

In the wake of the end of the world, a family of four is on the run and the name of the game is no longer to live but to simply survive. Their goal: escaping the city and traveling to the rural community they once called home. As the constant threat of a violent death forces them to stay as far away from civilization as possible, they take to the forest, only to discover the danger posed by other survivors is the least of their worries.

Soon after entering the forest, things start to go horribly wrong for the family. Strange noises and shadowy figures are never far away. The world they once knew is gone and their idea of reality is collapsing around them and as they are soon to find out.....things are about to get much much worse.

If nothing else, The Collapsed proves one thing, you dont need a 20 million dollar budget to make an interesting and engaging movie about the end of the world. This is a no-frills, bare-bones production that was well shot and paced, with effective acting and a great climax. And most indie fans should be appreciative of what director Justin McConnell has crafted here, a doomsday movie that replaces special effects with tension and an odd mystery that comes to fruition in a shocking manner.

Throughout most of the movie, the audience, like the characters, is completely in the dark about why the world is falling apart, all we know is that contact between humans results in deadly consequences.

As the story plays out, this little thriller crosses the line into horror movie territory and all the questions you may have had are answered in a bloodbath of revelations at the end and I thought it worked out quite well. Its not gonna blow your socks off but it is gonna keep you entertained and your not going to walk away feeling like you got robbed of the time you invested in watching the story. There was a perverse satisfaction in the final reveal that really sold me on this one.

The extra’s are quite generous as well, there is commentary, a making-of short called Apocalypse on a Budget, a music video, original score jukebox and free album download, trailers from other Anchor Bay releases, cast and crew bio’s, artwork and photo gallery.

Considering this movie cost about as much to make as the average catering company charges for a weeks worth of cold-cuts on a big budget Hollywood movie set, it manages to get the job done in an effective workman-like fashion. Check it out, you just might like it.

7 out of 10