Last Updated on November 8, 2024 by
In the movie Elevation, the whole world has become a very dangerous place because extraterrestrial beings have emerged on the surface of the earth and begun to attack human beings. Three years and these creatures, which sort of resemble giant insects, have driven everyone above 8,000 feet, where the aliens appear to be unable to traverse. However, one gets the impression that the movie was incomplete as it did not explain why these creatures shun high altitudes.
Will, the main character portrayed by Anthony Mackie, is a dad determined to protect his young son, Hunter (Danny Boyd Jr.), with a breathing problem that requires the use of an inhaler. As there are not many medical supplies left, Will has to go on a risky mission to get medicine for Hunter. Accompanied by Katie (Maddie Henson), he also has a tough scientist companion named Nina portrayed by Morena Baccarin. Together, Nathan and Maggie are determined to seek the necessary medicine for Hunter and, perhaps, a solution to combat these extraterrestrial beings.
The troubles that the characters of Elevations have could be compared to the problems in a movie based on a video game where the characters progress from one mission to another continuing in the style of ‘fetch quest,’ a terminology used when characters are sent to fetch items. The movie frequently features Will and his comrades immersed in escape scenes and chased by the aliens like in the quick-time events seen in video games.
Another positive aspect of Elevation is how it starts. It begins by presenting Will and his people in a fashion that helps the viewers comprehend their hardships as well as their lifestyle in the new world. Notably, the movie does not even bother to provide many details about the alien invasion or reasons as to why the alien creatures hate heights. This approach can indeed work because it manages to leave some suspense. Indeed, director George Nolfi does attempt to put the viewer in a position where interest is provoked over Will’s objective to save his son.
However, when Will is out of his community, the movie turns into a typical survival story and its further development is rather predictable. The characters have no new obstacles which they have to overcome and they do not have to deal with something unexpected which makes the movie rather predictable.
The acting is good enough with a performance from Anthony Mackie. He is a good worker even though he does not have the opportunity to fully demonstrate his potential. Mackie’s character is forced to utter monotonous dialogue that sounds almost stale and mundane. Out of the rest of the main cast, Morena Baccarin who portrays Nina can bear mentioning as for her character, a scientist, she is depicted as having become calloused by the invasion. Still, I can say that the most developed relationship here and, thus, the most engaging one is the one between Will and Nina. The characters in Elevation appear shallow, which makes it difficult for the audience to relate to them.
The script also has the notion of being awkward, as it appears as though the scenes were written haphazardly and then pasted together. As the last fifteen minutes approach, the story seeks to introduce an element that brings about a change, but the way it is presented, it feels out of place. It even appears as if the movie no longer has any interest in the plot that it has created for the characters.
The aliens themselves look interesting, at least. They are different from the conventional appearance of monsters; they have more of a shiny metallic appearance and are not hunched over. But instead of that we see only one alien in most of the movie and when there are more of them they are not as scary as we want them to be. A good example is the scene where Will and Nina are in a hospital to get the medicine and see that the alien’s claws have sliced through the wall chasing them. It is one of the rare scenes in the film where it does creates a real sense of suspense. However, in general, Elevation does not introduce anything interesting or unusual; the rest of the scenes are not as compelling.
Lastly, there is a lot of similarity and repeatability in components; thus, Elevation does not feel very fresh. This appears to be copying other movies of the same nature such as A Quiet Place, where the movie setting is in the countryside and the survivors are bound by a single rule. Now, there is one rule of this type which it is necessary to state – one should fly above 8,000 feet at least. However, unlike A Quiet Place, which took this concept and used it in a suspenseful and engaging manner, Elevation does not introduce anything novel. As such, it is akin to a B-movie—the kind of film you would stumble upon on late-night television—an ordinary story that doesn’t excel.
Elevation 2024 Parents Guide Age Rating
Elevation is rated R by the Motion Picture Rating (MPA) for strong bloody violence, and language.
Violence and Gore: Frequent scenes of intense sci-fi violence involving alien creatures. Characters are often pursued, attacked, or shown fighting the aliens. Some scenes show alien claws piercing walls and close calls with characters that might be frightening for younger audiences. Moderate to heavy blood and injury detail, though not excessively graphic.
Profanity: Contains occasional strong language, including the use of some explicit words.
Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking: No notable depiction of drug use, alcohol, or smoking.
Sexual Content: None: The film does not contain any sexual scenes, nudity, or explicit sexual content. The focus is primarily on survival, action, and the alien threat rather than romantic or sexual themes.
Overall: Elevation has mature content and suspenseful, violent scenes that align with its R rating. The story includes themes of survival and family but lacks deeper emotional elements, focusing more on action and alien encounters.
