‘Is there anybody out there?’
Last Sentinel is a 2023 science fiction thriller film about a squad of soldiers stranded on an abandoned military base on a near-future Earth waiting for relief or the enemy, whichever comes first.
Directed by Tanel Toom (Truth and Justice) from a screenplay written by Malachi Smyth.Produced by Jörg Bundschuh, Pippa Cross, Ivo Felt, Ben Pullen and Matthew James Wilkinson.
The British movie stars Kate Bosworth, Thomas Kretschmann, Lucien Laviscount and Martin McCann.
Plot synopsis:
Set in the near future, unchecked and rampant climate change has caused temperatures and sea levels to rise catastrophically. Only two large continents remain and billions died during the mass migration to these higher lands.
Surrounded by an endless ocean and thousands of miles from home, a skeleton crew of soldiers (Kate Bosworth, Thomas Kretschmann, Lucien Laviscount, Martin McCann) stand as the last bastion, defending their homeland from an invasion by an enemy they have never seen, monitoring for signs of attack and prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause. Their tour of duty ended three months ago with no relief in sight.
Alone and uncertain as to what fate awaits them, the simmering tension amongst the crew escalates when a mysterious boat drifts into range – is it the help they have been waiting for, or something far more sinister?
Reviews:
“Narratively, you can do a lot with a limited setting as long as the actors are willing to carry some extra performance weight, as Women Talking showed everyone most recently. If just one of the actors in Last Sentinel had given a lackluster performance, the film would have collapsed in on itself. But everyone kicks in a captivating performance that only heightens the tension on this increasingly isolated rig with each passing minute.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
“The feature just crawls along without offering viewers more active conflicts or sharp dialogue, and performances are missing a certain enthusiasm for the job. In many ways, Smyth’s screenplay is better suited for the stage, investing in a lot of conversation and challenges that don’t carry a cinematic presence.” 2 out of 5, Blu-ray.com
“Whereas you might assume this low-budget Estonian production would devolve into an “us versus them” mentality ripe for fireworks, the script refuses to deviate from its anti-war wake-up call approach. As many discussions on board explain, the only difference between sides is their target.” 7 out of 10, Hey, Have You Seen?
” …Last Sentinel overachieves as a claustrophobic end-of-the-world thriller, largely thanks to Toom skillful direction and some terrific design work. Recommended for fans of post-apocalyptic movies…” J.B. Spins
“There are bigger ambitions to Last Sentinel, especially in its appropriately cynical view of humanity’s constant ability to screw up things beyond what would seem possible and/or logical, but the narrow viewpoint and hasty turns of the movie’s plot don’t do those ambitions any justice.” 2 out of 4, Mark Reviews Movies
“Last Sentinel further devolves with an inane climactic twist. It makes little sense with rational thought. The same objective could have been achieved at any point in the story. A lackluster ending torpedoes what could have been a passable thriller.” Movieweb
“The ending goes in a slightly unexpected direction but for the most part, like the script as a whole, things are kept relatively simple. And this is no bad thing. Despite his inexperience – this being only his second full-length feature – director Tanel Toom (Truth and Justice) shows that even with a modest budget, if you pick the right cast and have a solid script, you can make interesting and entertaining sci-fi.” 3 out of 5, Nerdly
“Toom has an impressive eye, but it’s hard not to let one’s own glaze over during the numerous lows. Far from unwatchable, Last Sentinel provides much to look at with its setting and visuals at the cost of brevity. However, its substance, while adequately covered, is too familiar for a two-hour runtime without vivid writing.” 2.5 out of 5, Voices from the Balcony
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