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DVD Downstream
 Run time: 101 min Rating: 3.7 Genres: Action | Sci-Fi Director: Simone Bartesaghi, Philip Kim Writers: Philip Kim, Neil Kinsella Stars: Jonathon Trent, Elizabeth Roberts, Jonno Roberts |
| Storyline Wes Keller is a young man living in a world where oil has collapsed, the food supply has been wiped out, and cancer rates for women have skyrocketed, depleting the female population. In a barbaric environment where bio fuel, batteries, bullets and people are currency and marauders roam free, Wes tries to escape to a mythical world run on cold fusion “Plutopia”, a place that may only exist in the mind. THE BILL IS DUE. ‘Downstream’ is a view of the not so distant future. We follow a young man (everyone’s son) as he pays the price for society’s decadence. Written by Phil Y Kim |
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| Plot Keywords: oil, post apocalypse, desert | |
| Details: Country: USA Release Date: 24 February 2010 (USA) |
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| Box Office Budget: $1,000,000 (estimated) |
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4 comments
The movie takes place roughly ten years in the future, after the world has collapsed due to suddenly running out of oil. The premise is interesting and the story kinda hooks you up in the beginning, making you want to see where it goes.
Unfortunately, the production quality as well as the story declines quickly and by the ending credits you will only be disappointed. I made the mistake of watching the movie all the way, all the time waiting for that big twist to make it worth watching. Also, do not expect to see any cool sci-fi tech or you'll be disappointed even more.
The movie is rather brutal and this certainly will upset some viewers, even though I found myself wondering why they didn't do it all the way instead of making it dull like they did. This could have saved it in the lack of an actual story.
Since I've made low-budget films myself, I first must say that I am impressed by what Simone put together with Philip Kim's script.
It's a professional product and very nice production value throughout. Especially some of the car-scenes had some complicated and really nice filming. I enjoyed the editing with the German-like experimental split-screen – especially since it was mostly used to tell two sides of the same scene.
Of course, we have seen most of this before. Especially in the MAD MAX-films, of course, but mostly, this film resembles A BOY AND HIS DOG (1975) and there's also a lot of nods to Enzo Castellari's incredible Italian Mad Max-rip off I NUOVI BARBARI (1982).
Downstream IS very Italian. If you haven't seen any of the Italian post-nuke films, then you're missing out on a lot of the films inspiration.
Mostly, I thought this was well-made and for the low budget these people worked with, they created a nice film that works. Sadly, the ending is a bit slow.
Otherwise, the fights and car-action was very good. It reminds me a lot of Marshall's DOOMSDAY (2008), of course – but do remember that that film had a $30M budget and this only a $1M! So if you like the casual Italian post-apocalypse thing, then this is for you.
I have to agree with everything that previous reviews say when they point out the negatives of this film. For the first 20 minutes I had convinced myself that I had already seen it then I realised I was thinking of 'Book Of Eli'. Saying that the first 20 minutes you do feel like something of a plot is developing but at this point you can switch off as nothing worth watching happens from that point onward.The last 20 minutes of the film then go from bad to worse. I think whatever good this film had must have been lost in post-production as whomever was responsible for the final cut seems to have a bad idea of good film, which this clearly had the potential to become. Such a shame and I believe a career ender for many involved.
Absolute dreck. One of the worst movies I've seen this year. Wretched acting, annoying soundtrack, overused end-of-times storyline, and ridiculously jagged editing. I wish I had back the 90 minutes that I wasted watching this crapola. If I ever see the names of directors Simone Bartesaghi & Philip Kim, I'll run in the opposite direction. If you enjoy the after-the-holocaust/bleak-future kind of thing (like I certainly do!), then catch 'Book of Eli' with Denzel Washington & Gary Oldman or 'The Road' with Viggo Mortenson, or for God's sake even the old 'Mad Max' trilogy. 'Downstream' has absolutely nothing going for it in an artistic or entertainment sense. Please don't waste your time on this piece of irritating nonsense.