Stories about survivors in a post-apocalyptic world continue to fascinate viewers in streaming series like “Fallout” and “The Last of Us,” but “Homestead” likely marks the first time such a scenario has been used in a faith-based film. . This is certainly the first time that a theatrical film of this type has been designed to serve as the pilot episode for a television series – a fact that, when it becomes apparent in the film’s final minutes, may strike many viewers as a bait-and-switch. .
Indeed, the series achieved what can only be described as… certain promotion in those final minutes, complete with a rather catchy trailer (not entirely unlike the one used by Kevin Costner at the end of “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”). One of the main actors appears in front of the camera to directly address the audience about what awaits them, along with an on-screen QR code that the audience can access to obtain more information about continuing the narration (for an additional price).
Yes, we are encouraged to use our cell phones at that time and in the theater, no matter how much management discourages such activity. Insert joke here about how God works in mysterious ways.
This shift would have been more disturbing, perhaps even infuriating, if “Homestead” wasn’t so impressive and artistically impressive. In fact, there are probably large numbers of people who wouldn’t mind spending a few extra bucks, just to see how many of their favorite survivors – well, continue to survive.
It all begins when two brothers from an unidentified foreign country on a boat off the coast of California launch a nuclear weapon, causing massive damage and multiple deaths in the Golden State and beyond. (Later, there is a passing reference to a cyberattack on the country’s power grid, suggesting that the siblings did not act alone.) Homestead: A castle-like mansion on a large acreage in the Rocky Mountains where he, his family, and a dozen or so employees intend to ride out any disturbances. They’re self-sufficient – solar panels for power, gardens for growing food, etc. – but even Ian realizes that, sooner or later, they’ll need more weapons, and people who know how to use them.
Coincidentally, Ian has taken the precaution of contracting before large ex-Special Operations led by vet Jeff Erickson (Billy Chase) to provide additional security. But by the time Jeff arrives with his wife, Tara (Kieran Giovanni), who has a mysterious military background, and their three children, chaos has spread to the outside world. Increasingly desperate people show up to ask for supplies and then demand them. At first, Ian and his religious wife Gina (Dawn Olivieri, who recently made a very different impression as a very naughty lady on TV’s “Yellowstone”) insist that “the government or FEMA” will eventually set things right. Jeff expresses deep doubts and warns them to prepare for the worst. The problem is that there are situations where even a skilled tactician like Jeff may inadvertently underestimate the potential danger.
Working from a believable screenplay by Philip Abraham, Leah Bateman and Ben Kasica, which they adapted from the “Black Autumn” book series by Jeff Kirkham and Jason Ross, director Ben Smallbone (“Priceless”) does a good job of building believability. It has clever details and minor characters, including an unseen ham radio operator who acts as a sparse Greek chorus, a local bureaucrat who unwisely demands that Ian continue to follow deed restrictions and pay fees, and a character who wonders aloud why they chose to buy a Tesla, considering Consider power outages.
Georgie (Georgianna White), an abused child adopted by Jeff and Tara, is widely implied to have precognition powers – she draws a picture of a mushroom cloud before The explosion that prompted the plot occurred – but disappointingly little was made of this. Other dangling plot threads include: a survivor who literally goes off his medication and gives unreliable testimony, and the budding romance between Ian’s not-so-protective, home-schooled daughter Claire (Olivia Sanabia), and Jeff’s slightly more worldly son Abe (Tyler Lofton). . Maybe we’ll see more of all this in the TV show.
On the other hand, another plot element planted halfway through cleverly pays off in a surprisingly biblical way. Loaves and fishes, anyone?
The main characters are well cast across the board, with Chase and McDonough being particularly effective as complex, unpredictable characters and their sporadic conflicts go a long way towards developing an inherent interest in both men. Matthew Rivera’s stunning cinematography and the magic of the film’s special effects are also major selling points, along with Dawn Olivieri’s sympathetic portrayal of a woman who firmly believes that faith can move mountains. By the way: Her confidence is never mocked. This is, at its core, a faith-based film, remember?