







When you blend the run down environments of District 9 with the survivalist elements of Falling Skies and the wasteland trek of Gareth Edwards' Monsters, you get the cool new science fiction action set piece, Revolt. Featuring many derivative moments and scenarios, this little gem of sci-fi goodness is a good enough entry in a world lacking the genre flicks we crave.





As a robotic alien species takes over the globe and attempts to wipe the slate clean of humanity using advanced weaponized technology, one lonesome military warrior must overcome a barren world riddled with death and soulless mechanical killers. While it's not going to win any awards for high art, this thriller features just enough great scenery to make it interesting.





Starring Lee Pace of Halt and Catch Fire and the visionary cult film The Fall, this Revolt handily borrows plot elements from numerous features but definitely has heart. Using Pace's penchant for delivering believable performances, he strides through the armageddon with ease and great dramatic chops. Offering up a stellar breakout as an action star, Pace transcends the normal roles he takes, giving audiences a believable soldier with a chip on his shoulder. Berenice Marlohe plays his female counterpart. She also does a great job with the little bit of material that's fed to her.





Stop it. You're scaring me.





Using a meager budget of only $4 million, Revolt has some excellent CGI based visuals that are remarkable for a more independent style feature. The mechanics of the invaders are unique with a metallic but highly organic feel. They relate a true threat to the humans they seek to destroy. Set mostly in deserted areas that have been vanquished by the robots, many scenes call back to the battle scenarios of Terminator Salvation, yet even a bit better. The choreography of the war between the remnants of mankind and their aggressors has a gritty feel that's often times missing from these types of films. Pace helps sell the fiction on this one.





If you have some time to kill over the weekend and have been let down by many big budget films this past year, Revolt may satiate your hunger for a little classic man versus robot fun. This is nowhere near a perfect movie, but it's a hard notch above most we've seen this last few months.





Score





-CG







