Stars: John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Vera Farmiga, Kevin Dunn, James Ransone, Alan Ruck, Madeline Brewer, Machine Gun Kelly, Kevin J. O’Connor | Written by Erica Beeney, Rupert Wyatt | Directed by Rupert Wyatt
Captive State is director Rupert Wyatt’s first feature film in five years after the relatively underseen drama, and his remake of the same name, The Gambler – released in 2014, starring Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson and John Goodman. Wyatt re-teams with Goodman on his latest science fiction thriller that evokes a similar sentiment as his breakout cinematic hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011, with deeply engaging social/political commentary and a superb climactic flair that crafts Captive State into a thrilling, albeit slightly over-convoluted narrative.
The stand out here is the superbly eerie and grounded production design by Keith P. Cunningham. The execution of scale and scope in the unsettling and glib setting of...
Captive State is director Rupert Wyatt’s first feature film in five years after the relatively underseen drama, and his remake of the same name, The Gambler – released in 2014, starring Mark Wahlberg, Brie Larson and John Goodman. Wyatt re-teams with Goodman on his latest science fiction thriller that evokes a similar sentiment as his breakout cinematic hit Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011, with deeply engaging social/political commentary and a superb climactic flair that crafts Captive State into a thrilling, albeit slightly over-convoluted narrative.
The stand out here is the superbly eerie and grounded production design by Keith P. Cunningham. The execution of scale and scope in the unsettling and glib setting of...
- 3/28/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
It may seem like a fool’s errand to find a new angle on the alien invasion thriller — Captive State, however, is determined to give it a shot. It barely shows us the extraterrestrials themselves; our clearest view comes when we glimpse them in the opening moments, during the initial hostile takeover. The creatures look like giant spiders crossed with porcupines, and they have the ability to obliterate people with one giant blast of … well, something. It doesn’t matter. The point is that they’re extremely powerful. After that opening prologue,...
- 3/17/2019
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Rollingstone.com
If near-future science fiction has taught us anything, it’s that humanity is irremediably doomed — either we succumb to rapacious technology or natural disasters of our own making, or an invasion by foes beyond our atmosphere wipes us out or enslaves us. Rupert Wyatt’s “Captive State” adheres to the latter variant but shows no intention of providing entertainment, just an unsatisfying potluck of quasi-relevant, frustration-inducing ideas.
Nine years after first contact, Earth’s governments have surrendered power to the alien overlords, whose spiny-looking leader is known as The Legislator. These creatures are benevolent in the way that a dictator is good to anyone: They’ve delivered stability in exchange for oppression. Up-close, the extraterrestrial enemies read as a crossbreed between a hairy tarantula and a lychee.
In response, the unimaginatively named insurgent group Phoenix has emerged and consistently carried out attacks on the “closed zones,” underground areas from which...
Nine years after first contact, Earth’s governments have surrendered power to the alien overlords, whose spiny-looking leader is known as The Legislator. These creatures are benevolent in the way that a dictator is good to anyone: They’ve delivered stability in exchange for oppression. Up-close, the extraterrestrial enemies read as a crossbreed between a hairy tarantula and a lychee.
In response, the unimaginatively named insurgent group Phoenix has emerged and consistently carried out attacks on the “closed zones,” underground areas from which...
- 3/16/2019
- by Carlos Aguilar
- The Wrap
Giving new meaning to #TheResistance, “Captive State” envisions a future in which those “I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords” memes have finally come to pass. Rupert Wyatt’s fixation on non-humans taking over the world continues unabated in the sci-fi thriller, with the “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” director introducing us to the earth nearly a decade after it fell to an alien species who have since moved on to the sinister second phase of their plan. What he doesn’t introduce us to, alas, is any real reason why we should care about the ongoing efforts to push back against these creatures’ oppressive regime.
Nine years after conquering the planet with minimal resistance, the Legislators, as they’re called — perhaps the least intimidating name for invading aliens in movie history — have all but disappeared from daily life. They instead rule from a deep underground lair...
Nine years after conquering the planet with minimal resistance, the Legislators, as they’re called — perhaps the least intimidating name for invading aliens in movie history — have all but disappeared from daily life. They instead rule from a deep underground lair...
- 3/15/2019
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Given the allusions to literal and thematic Trojan Horses that pepper its third act, one probably shouldn’t be surprised that “Captive State” — which opened cold on March 14 after Focus mysteriously canceled screenings for critics — actually is something of a purposefully camouflaged interloper. Although the TV ads and other promotional material appear to promise a megaplex-ready thrill ride about space invaders and rebellious Earthlings, this rigorously intelligent, cunningly inventive, and impressively suspenseful drama plays more like a classic tale about a disparate group of resistance fighters united in a guerrilla campaign against an occupying force.
The big difference here, of course, is that the occupiers are extraterrestrials, not German troops or British colonialists. But, truth to tell, director Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) and scriptwriter Erica Beeney (“The Battle of Shaker Heights”) don’t seem terribly interested in those intergalactic beasties, which appear only fleetingly on scattered occasions,...
The big difference here, of course, is that the occupiers are extraterrestrials, not German troops or British colonialists. But, truth to tell, director Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”) and scriptwriter Erica Beeney (“The Battle of Shaker Heights”) don’t seem terribly interested in those intergalactic beasties, which appear only fleetingly on scattered occasions,...
- 3/15/2019
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
Captive State, starring John Goodman and Ashton Sanders, from director Rupert Wyatt isn't the alien invasion movie you think it is.
Captive State should be exactly the kind of movie I want to see more of. As much as we love superheroes, Star Wars, and the endless parade of easily exploitable ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia that keeps manifesting as remakes, reboots, belated sequels, and even TV shows, quality, original genre films should be celebrated so they aren't lost in the shadow of the ever-expanding blockbuster calendar. So something like Captive State, from Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt, with its authoritarian overtones and eerie realism couched in its alien invasion premise should be a safe bet for a 2019 genre movie that keeps people talking all year. Unfortunately, it's not.
Set roughly a decade after an alien invasion became a full scale occupation, Captive State uses a...
Captive State should be exactly the kind of movie I want to see more of. As much as we love superheroes, Star Wars, and the endless parade of easily exploitable ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia that keeps manifesting as remakes, reboots, belated sequels, and even TV shows, quality, original genre films should be celebrated so they aren't lost in the shadow of the ever-expanding blockbuster calendar. So something like Captive State, from Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt, with its authoritarian overtones and eerie realism couched in its alien invasion premise should be a safe bet for a 2019 genre movie that keeps people talking all year. Unfortunately, it's not.
Set roughly a decade after an alien invasion became a full scale occupation, Captive State uses a...
- 3/15/2019
- Den of Geek
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.