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- 2015
- PG-13
- Vertical Entertainment
- 1 h 35 m
- 2015
- PG-13
- Vertical Entertainment
- 1 h 35 m
Summary In the near future, breathable air is nonexistent and two engineers (Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou) tasked with guarding the last hope for mankind struggle to preserve their own lives while administering to their vital task at hand.
Directed By: Christian Cantamessa
Written By: Chris Pasetto, Christian Cantamessa
- 2015
- PG-13
- Vertical Entertainment
- 1 h 35 m
- 2015
- PG-13
- Vertical Entertainment
- 1 h 35 m
Air
33
5.4
Where to Watch
Summary In the near future, breathable air is nonexistent and two engineers (Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou) tasked with guarding the last hope for mankind struggle to preserve their own lives while administering to their vital task at hand.
Directed By: Christian Cantamessa
Written By: Chris Pasetto, Christian Cantamessa
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
33
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
33% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable
Based on 6 Critic Reviews
33
0% Positive
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
67% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
33% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
The movie cheats whenever it can. At least it’s interesting to look at, if only at first.
This first feature for videogame designer/writer Christian Cantamessa has an intriguing premise and two capable stars, none of which is utilized as memorably as one might hope.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 User Ratings
5.4
42% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
25% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
33% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 User Ratings
5.4
42% Positive
10 Ratings
10 Ratings
25% Mixed
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
33% Negative
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
Hardcore fans of post-apocalyptic settings are going to be the ones who get the most out of this. The pace is rather slow. The majority of it is just about these characters trying to maintain their sanctuary in a world with poisoned air. Even when things inevitably go wrong and they have find a way to fix their current situation things don't pick up much until near the end. That's when their mental states pit them against one another.
It would be a lot more boring to watch were it not for the fantastic performances from Norman Reedus Djimon Hounsou. They have some great chemistry and their interactions are enjoyable to watch. The cool sci-fi vibe we get from the world also helps. However they can't completely make up for the issues with the plot and pacing.
It's not until later on in the movie that the scope of the events start to become larger and the characters start to turn on each other. That's when things really start to pick up and get more interesting. Up until that point you really have to enjoy post-apocalyptic worlds and watching characters do what it takes to survive in them (however mundane). There's not much action and not too much going on. You have to let the hopelessness and the isolation of the world pull you in. Many aren't going to find that to be enough.
Even then the way the plot plays out might lead to some disappointment. The conflict between the two characters is one that I felt very strongly should play out one way. I might have been able to sympathize with Cartwright's (Hounsou) motives for betraying his friend, but that doesn't mean I supported him. I wasn't happy with the film's conclusion.
Still, it was pretty cool for the movie to pull me in that way. I might not be okay with the way things turned out, but I was invested in it. It's one that kept me entertained throughout it's running time even if the pace was slow. It's a cool world with great actors making the conflicts at hand more interesting. You might have to be a hardcore post-apocalyptic fan to really enjoy it, but I think anyone interested in the concept or actors should give it a shot. It's a flawed, but enjoyable movie in my opinion.
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Juicy dilemmas are dangled in front of the audience, then disappointingly yanked away.
The film is most effective when Bauer and Cartwright are battling the surroundings instead of each other.
Boredom has long since settled in by the time gunplay is involved.
Walking Dead isn't the model, here — it's Lost, specifically the business involving that buried bunker with the outdated tech and the mystery button that must be mashed every time a Rolodex-style flip-clock counts down to zero. All of that has been copy-pasted into Air, which, sadly, doesn't even improve on Lost's resolutions.
Jeder der das Plakat zu diesem Film sieht denkt sich wahrscheinlich erstmal dasselbe: " Oh den kenn ich doch aus The Walking Dead". Und auch Robert Kirkman, der als Autor in unserer Lieblings Zombie-Serie fungierte, tritt als Produzent des Films in Erscheinung. Denn mit Air präsentiert er erstmals einen Spielfilm und dafür hat er eben auch einen Schauspiel-Kollegen seiner Beißer-Serie, Norman “Daryl” Reedus, mit ins Boot geholt.
Interessant ist auch das Regisseur Christian Cantamessa sich vor seinem Spielfilmdebüt Air vor allem als Videospiel-Schöpfer einen Namen machte. So kreierte er beispielsweise zuletzt Mittelerde: Mordors Schatten mit. Aber auch für die Geschichte von Red Dead Redemption oder der Manhunt Serie ist er verantwortlich. Und das der zweite Hauptprotagonist von Djimon Hounsou gespielt wird, dem man aus vielen Hollywoodproduktionen kennt, tut den Voraussetzungen einen stimmigen Low-Budget Mischling aus Sci-Fi und Psychothriller zu drehen wohl keinen Abbruch. Doch allen guten Voraussetzungen zum Trotz schafft es der Film nie eine Beziehung zwischen dem Zuschauer und den Figuren herzustellen. So wird es zum Ende hin fast belanglos und man fibert weder mit dem einen oder anderen mit. Schade! Denn sonst wäre es wohl ein Geheimtipp geworden. So ist es ein Film den man bestimmt nicht gesehen haben muss - jedoch dem ein oder anderen Genre Fan Spaß machen könnte.
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The main problem of Air is it doesn't have enough gas to keep the momentum going.
For a movie called Air, it sure feels tiresomely suffocating. The overall concept is about two men who wake up from stasis sleep to do critical housekeeping on a post-apocalyptic facility. It brings the usual gloomy ambiance and the two actors do possess good acting performance, but the movie is utterly boring. Low on production and very tediously paced, it's almost like a forced prolonged short movie.
Bauer (Norman Reedus) and Cartwright (Djimon Hounsou) work on the ark facility where periodically they would wake up to keep things running. With small cast and setting, the main focus here is the human drama between these two as they troubleshoot any faults in the station while questioning their own sanity.
Plot-wise it's not very complex, there's not much developments or twists, at least not outside the stereotypical sci-fi movies. The back story is told with various clips or narration from both characters, which can feel detached and lackluster at times. Norman Reedus and Djimon Hounsou have decent on-screen presences, however the material is spread too thinly and they struggle to produce any excitement from the barren plot.
That's the main problem of Air, it simply doesn't have enough gas to keep the momentum going. Note that the runtime is the average ninety minutes for a very small scale movie, furthermore it utilizes repetitive themes for filling. It teases the slightly dysfunctional relationship between the two or what mental problem they may have, but these are basic thriller aspects that don’t present much thrill in exception of one or two decent scenes.
While the retro 80s futuristic theme can be intriguing and its two leads are capable, most of the movie feels like extended padding. It probably could've done the same with half the runtime, the rest is merely cumbersome trudge over dystopian gig.
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Really dull and boring. This movie wastes two talented people on a yawn inducing script full of cliches for the genre. If you're a fan of either one of these stars check out Norman Reedus in Boondock Saints or The Walking Dead and Dijmon Hounsou in Blood Diamond or Gladiator. This movie is just a slog to get through.
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Wow what a boring movie. The attempt to try and grey out the good and the bad by creating a very round about way of saying I'm married thus my life is more important than a single persons thus I can murder you. That is pretty much what this movie is about. It's an incredibly shallow point of view about 2 people in a futureless world that humans have destroyed then they attempt to create reason, values and meaning. It's just rubbish and extremely drawn out in an incredibly painful way. It a weak attempt at creating a contentious issue. Lame and tiresome!
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Production Company
Automatik Entertainment,
Circle of Confusion,
Oddfellows Entertainment,
Skybound Entertainment,
Stage 6 Films
Release Date Aug 14, 2015
Duration 1 h 35 m
Rating PG-13
Tagline Two men. One task. Save humankind.
Awards
Golden Trailer Awards
• 1 Nomination
