The Lost Future (2010 Telefilm/E1 DVD)

 

Picture: B-     Sound: B-     Extras: B+     Film: C+

 

 

The post-apocalyptic genre possesses precious little fertile ground left to til.  Most of the core concepts and conceits have been mined out, leaving most new installments in the genre to rely heavily on the performances of the cast and the strength of the special effects.  Mikael Solomon’s The Lost Future (2010) breaks little new ground, but does feature yeoman work from lead actor Sean Bean and strong performances from relative unknowns Cory Sevier and Sam Claflin.  In some not so distant future, perhaps two or three generations from our own time, isolated tribes of humans exist on a post-apocalyptic Earth that fell victim to a man-made crisis that spawned a re-birth of long-extinct mammals like giant sloths and bears.  This same technological plague also created a kind of zombie virus that transformed many people to something akin to a cross between a Lord of the Rings Orc and a rage zombie.

 

Confined to the relative safety of their known territory, a sheltered and superstitious tribe of humans must overcome their fear of the unknown and the many challenges of their environment to reclaim their birthright.  Although the amazing grooming and almost unearthly beauty of this tribe strains credulity (how is it that these primitive people are so clean and well coiffed?), some earnest performances make the best of a rather threadbare script.  These sheltered people have produced few explorers from their ranks, but Kaleb’s (played by Mr. Claflin)  long missing father was one of them.  He taught his son literacy and hope, and imbued in him a desire to seek the truth in the outside world.  Mr. Bean’s character Amal also owes his education to Kaleb’s father, but he dwells outside of the tribe with his own family, and sits as an enlightened warrior, ready to lead Kaleb and his allies to reclaim their lost future.

 

The monster and makeup effects in this TV production provide a solid underpinning to the many action sequences.  The mix of post-apocalytpic, zombie, and almost prehistoric action elements create a unique blend that will keep even jaded viewers interested for at least a little while.  If one can ignore the plot’s many holes (for instance, there appear to be few older women or children in the village when it gets attacked in the early portion of the film--where are they?), the film will entertain.

 

Extras include a making of featurette and cast interviews, and these reveal an earnestness and enthusiasm from the principles that can be seen on the screen.  The Lost Future breaks no new ground in this genre, but its fearless mixture of zany ingredients offers a respite from the now tired, bullet-riddled zombie fare we’ve been seeing the last ten years.

 

 

-   Scott Pyle