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Survive (2024) by Frédéric Jardin: A Family's Fight on a Deserted Ocean Floor

  • Writer: dailyentertainment95
    dailyentertainment95
  • Aug 6
  • 5 min read

Short Summary: An Apocalyptic Twist of Fate Survive is a French disaster thriller that follows a family on a boat trip. After a violent storm, they awaken to a nightmare: the world's oceans have been drained due to a polarity reversal of Earth's magnetic poles. The family must now navigate a vast, hostile desert—the former ocean floor—while being hunted by hungry creatures that have been unleashed from the deep.

Detailed Summary: A Family's Harrowing Journey

  • The Calm Before the Storm: The film begins with the Engels family, a loving unit of a mother, father, son, and daughter, celebrating a birthday on their boat in the middle of the ocean. The mood is tranquil and happy, with the family enjoying their time together.

  • A Cataclysmic Event: The idyllic scene is shattered by a sudden, violent storm. Satellite fragments fall from the sky, and a vicious squall nearly capsizes their boat. When they finally awake, they discover a shocking new reality: the ocean is gone, and their boat is stranded on a craggy desert landscape.

  • A New World and a New Threat: The family learns that a polarity reversal has occurred, draining the oceans and leaving behind a vast, desolate wasteland. The film's primary antagonist is not the environment but the newly exposed creatures from the deep that now hunt for flesh.

  • The Struggle for Survival: The movie becomes a desperate battle for survival. The family's father, Tom, initially takes the lead, but after a tragic event, the mother, Julia, is forced to step up. She must become a resourceful and resilient protector for her children, leading them across the dangerous terrain.

  • A Race Against Time: The family discovers that another polarity reversal is imminent, and they must reach a specific location to find safety with a submariner they contact via radio. Their journey is a race against time, with the constant threat of the creatures, a sinister man with a harpoon, and the unforgiving landscape.

Director's Vision: The Scares of a B-Movie Frédéric Jardin's vision for Survive was to create a schlocky but tense disaster flick. The film doesn't aim to reinvent the genre but rather to lean into its conventions with a mix of creative visual flair and solid horror elements. Jardin uses the surrealist backdrop of a drained ocean floor to create a world that is both alien and strangely familiar. The low-budget limitations of the film are used to its advantage, creating a gritty and raw feel that works well with the disaster and horror themes.

Themes: The Human Spirit in the Face of Despair

  • Survival of the Fittest: The film is a classic survival story, where the main characters are pushed to their physical and emotional limits. It explores the primal human instinct to protect one's family and the lengths to which a person will go to survive.

  • Family Dynamics Under Pressure: The film explores how a family's dynamics change when faced with an apocalyptic scenario. The mother, Julia, transforms from a seemingly passive character into a strong and resourceful leader, while her children are forced to grow up and face the horrors of their new world.

  • Environmental Commentary: The movie includes subtle nods to climate change and environmental destruction. The family discovers discarded atomic barrels and other debris on the ocean floor, serving as a reminder of humanity's impact on the planet.

Key Success Factors: A Unique Premise and Strong Central Performance

  • The film's central premise of a drained ocean is a captivating and visually striking concept that sets it apart from other disaster movies.

  • The committed performance of Émilie Dequenne as the mother, Julia, is a key success factor. She convincingly portrays a woman who is battered and bruised but never broken, carrying the emotional weight of the film.

  • The film successfully blends different genres, including disaster, sci-fi, and creature-feature horror, to create a fast-paced and entertaining experience.

Critics Reception: A Fun B-Movie

  • RogerEbert.com: A review on this site describes Survive as "decent enough B-movie background noise." It praises the film's "silly and adventurous" tone and the effectiveness of its fast-moving, man-eating crab creatures. However, it notes that the first half-hour is weighed down by genre expectations and a predictable script.

  • The Guardian: This review calls the film a "smart, surrealist disaster flick filled with arresting dream-like imagery." It praises the director's use of low-budget limitations to create a more raw and visceral experience, and highlights the "invested performances" of the cast.

  • Overall Summary: The general critical reception is that Survive is a decent and entertaining genre film. It's not seen as a groundbreaking or flawless masterpiece, but rather as a fun, visually striking, and sometimes silly B-movie that delivers on its premise.

Reviews: A Fast-Paced and Enjoyable Thriller

  • MUBI: The film has a rating of 6.4 on MUBI, with a number of viewers finding it to be a fast-paced and enjoyable thriller. Some viewers praise its unique premise and its solid horror elements.

  • Overall Summary: Audience reviews are generally positive, with viewers appreciating the film's straightforward and entertaining approach to the disaster genre. They seem to enjoy the unique visual landscape and the constant tension and threat.

Why to watch this movie: A Thrilling, High-Concept Horror Film

  • A unique and compelling premise: The idea of a world with no oceans is a striking and original concept that makes Survive stand out.

  • Solid creature-feature horror: The film's man-eating crabs are a fun and effective threat that keeps the tension high.

  • A good old-fashioned B-movie: If you're in the mood for a fun, action-packed, and slightly silly horror movie, Survive is an excellent choice.

Movie Trend: The High-Concept Disaster Film Survive follows the trend of high-concept disaster films that use an outlandish but visually appealing scenario to tell a human story of survival. These films, often seen in the B-movie genre, focus on the spectacle of the disaster while also exploring the emotional journey of the characters.

Social Trend: Ecological Anxiety The film taps into the growing social trend of ecological anxiety and fear of climate change. The disaster in the film, while fictional, is rooted in the fear of a global catastrophe caused by a dramatic environmental shift. The visual cues of polluted oceans also subtly comment on humanity's impact on the planet.

Final Verdict: A Fun, Flawed, and Visually Striking Survival Film Survive is not a film that will change the world, but it is a highly effective and entertaining genre picture. It has a compelling premise, solid performances, and enough thrills and scares to keep you on the edge of your seat. It's a great choice for fans of survival horror and B-movies who are looking for a fun and visually striking film.


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