A Real Pain Dethroned in Hulu's Top 1 by Nic Cage's Must-See Horror Flick You Missed
You may have overlooked this project due to the release of Longlegs, but it's time to correct that mistake.
A Real Pain, Jesse Eisenberg's feature-length dramedy starring himself and Kieran Culkin, has deservedly been the most-watched movie on Hulu for a long time.
However, it was recently eclipsed by an equally interesting project – a horror film starring Nicolas Cage as a brave father protecting his home and family from monsters in a post-apocalyptic reality.
When it was released last year, Arcadian was overshadowed by another horror film with Nic Cage that became the biggest hit of 2024 – Longlegs. But this hidden gem deserves no less attention.
What Is Arcadian About?
Fifteen years ago, an unknown catastrophe wiped out most of Earth's population. The few survivors were forced to hide from the flesh-eating monsters that come out to hunt at night.
Paul and his sons Joseph and Thomas have settled on a remote farm. The Rose couple and their daughter Charlotte live next door. Thomas often avoids helping his father and brother, preferring to spend time with a neighbor.
One day, he does not return home before sundown, and Paul goes in search of his son, leaving Joseph to look after the farm. But the sun has already set, which means that the boy will have to survive the night alone, fending off the attacks of cunning creatures that besiege the house.
The sense of growing tension in Arcadian is skillfully maintained through the use of a handheld camera. There are almost no large-scale panoramas of dying cities or exciting post-apocalyptic landscapes, but the sense of the compression of space is perfectly conveyed.
Even in Paul's large family home, where there are many rooms and open spaces, it feels as if the characters are trapped in a tin can that monsters are trying to open.
Arcadian Is Reminiscent of It Comes at Night, but Handles the Drama Much Better
In terms of mood, the film is closer to the earlier and less successful horror It Comes at Night than to the first reference that comes to mind – A Quiet Place.
It is also dark and gloomy, the focus is not on monsters but on human relationships, but the dynamics are much better maintained.
The emphasis on people is mainly provided by the strong scenario and the brothers' attempts to save their injured father and get help from the neighbors. At the same time, the main task itself is extremely simple: the boys need a package of medicine, but Charlotte's relatives are not eager to share.
Arcadian Has Some of the Most Unique Monster Designs in the Horror Genre
When the monsters appear on the scene, the peaceful rural life suddenly turns into a brutal siege. Director Benjamin Brewer skillfully builds up the suspense by not showing the monsters in their entirety for a long time, leaving room for the viewer's imagination.
But in the finale, the monsters are shown in all their glory. The creatures, which resemble mutant werewolves with horse faces, move and attack quickly, and at one point even gather in a living wheel to devour as many people as possible.
Brewer was part of the creative team behind the Oscar-winning hit Everything Everywhere All at Once, and his experience in visual effects clearly came in handy.