The Survivalist

IFC Midnight | Release Date: May 19, 2017

6.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Ratings

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HotelCentralApr 19, 2018

I'm not sure who would really be into this film in a serious way except possibly right-wing neoCons who fantasize about the day when nothing matters except the power of guns and the ruthless determination to take whatever one needs toI'm not sure who would really be into this film in a serious way except possibly right-wing neoCons who fantasize about the day when nothing matters except the power of guns and the ruthless determination to take whatever one needs to survive, without regard to any inconveniences such as ethics or morals or laws.

The film runs for just over 100 minutes. It's relentlessly grim and so narrowly focused that the viewer gets no clue as to what has happened to the world or where civilization has gone, if indeed it has gone anywhere. Our main characters say so little that we learn virtually nothing about any of them, except that it's made clear that none of them are bothered much by the aforementioned lack of ethics, morals, or laws.

As post-apocalyptic films go, this isn't the worst I've seen, but there's nothing in any way supernatural to add spice to the brew. In fact my main complaint is that I spent most of the film waiting for something to happen. The plot is threadbare. The dialog would pose no disturbance inside a public library. There is an attempt to make the "Survivalist's" efforts to survive appear credible, but the efforts come up short. (For one thing, plan on planting a minimum of half an acre per person per year if you want to subsist by farming. The film shows us about 20 square feet or so hidden away in the middle of the woods and laughably describes this as "enough for one".)

If the title strikes you as interesting, then give the film a try. But don't expect it to be a happy event.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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SpacevesselAug 23, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. !SPOILERS!

I imagine this is happening in some sort of post-war world, where people have to survive on their own without energy. If it isn't so, we are not told anything anyway.

So an old woman and a young girl continuously try to kill a lonely young man in his small wooden house in the middle of the forest. The one that treated them fairly well, fed them, and could possibly protect them and be very useful. Yes, the younger one offered sex for all of this, and it was a mutual agreement, yet they continued to try killing him again. What was their plan - to live together in his house happily ever after? It wasn't about robbery, he clearly didn't have much of value, and the women had enough time to see that.

Then, out of nowhere comes a bunch of ill-motivated men wearing masks (as if it still mattered in their world whether their faces would be seen or not) trying to kill everyone in the house, apparently, while destroying his crops. The three of them did not compete for anything in that forest, so what was the point of attacking them, with an intention to kill? Why would you destroy crops in a world where food is hard to come by? Maybe the attackers had something else in mind, they probably wouldn't kill a young female, and maybe they would try to convince the guy to join them as well, but the two parties were not given a chance to talk, in fact, they didn't even see each other before the final shoot-out. I had an impression the women have escaped from their previous camp, and the dudes were searching for them, but again - nothing is explained.

It's hard to see anyone's intention here, since characters barely speak (the main man is mumbling in Irish (I suppose) at times, to add that "extra flavor"), and their actions make no sense. Everyone is simply homicidal for no apparent reason, and no coherent story is shown.

The director clearly didn't use his thinker too much with this one, he was too busy showing us cock, ass and **** close-ups (hello, Mia Goth fans), and trying to attract unwise survival-minded viewers. It seems the movie has no other point than to show how unreasonable people (and movie directors) can be.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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shoulderoforionMay 20, 2017

good flick bordering on the almost great, one reviewer i read said it was "lean", lol, yeah, this is the leanest post apocalyptic film you're going to see, interesting themes in this envisioning of when everything goes to hell & stays there.good flick bordering on the almost great, one reviewer i read said it was "lean", lol, yeah, this is the leanest post apocalyptic film you're going to see, interesting themes in this envisioning of when everything goes to hell & stays there. worth the watch.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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AcclamationDec 10, 2017

This is not a the typical Hollywood movie. Actually, I probably don’t have to say anything else, but I will.

This film is all characters. What would you do? Unlike most of the crap that is in American films, this is quite realistic andThis is not a the typical Hollywood movie. Actually, I probably don’t have to say anything else, but I will.

This film is all characters. What would you do? Unlike most of the crap that is in American films, this is quite realistic and takes one on a journey to California’s future. There is no Liberal insanity (agenda), which is insanely refreshing.
Watch it, and think about it.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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truerockDec 21, 2020

The Survivalist is not a main stream movie.

It is of the post-apocalyptic fiction genre. I would recommend it to individuals who appreciate the craft of story telling - in and of itself. As a warning to most people looking forThe Survivalist is not a main stream movie.

It is of the post-apocalyptic fiction genre.

I would recommend it to individuals who appreciate the craft of story telling - in and of itself.

As a warning to most people looking for entertainment: there is no dialogue for the first 17 minutes of the movie.

All aspects of the movie are very good. The story is sad - but, not without hope.
There are no surprising plot twists, involved mysteries, monsters, car chases, etc.
The film is simple and shows how some people might react if the complexities of civilization did not exist. In that regard, the story is predictable - but, it is interesting to watch this particular portrayal.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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ScraperApr 16, 2018

The Survivalist shows self-preservation from a very psychological perspective. There is planting and hunting for instance but the crux of the movie is whom to trust and when. A quiet film with intense, expressive faces, and sporadicThe Survivalist shows self-preservation from a very psychological perspective. There is planting and hunting for instance but the crux of the movie is whom to trust and when. A quiet film with intense, expressive faces, and sporadic heart-pounding moments. Incredibly engaging with absolutely zero humor.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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auberginemojiAug 8, 2020

This film is well made, with great cinematography, direction, acting... all the stuff. My major issues with the movie is that, firstly, THERE ARE NO SCI-FI ELEMENTS WHATSOEVER. I have no idea why it is listed as a scifi/drama. There isThis film is well made, with great cinematography, direction, acting... all the stuff. My major issues with the movie is that, firstly, THERE ARE NO SCI-FI ELEMENTS WHATSOEVER. I have no idea why it is listed as a scifi/drama. There is nothing scifi about it. My second isssue is that i can not recommend anyone watch this movie. there isnt enough of an emotional core for me to care about any of the characters or the grim, brutal situations they are placed in. If you wanna watch a grim, brutal movie where you cannot help but become invested in the characters, I highly recommend The Nightingale.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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FibrofilmsOct 10, 2019

A generous 2 considering you could write the script on the back of a condom wrapper. With so many good critic reviews I painfully sat until the end but reader please don’t be fooled. ‘Mad Max in the countyside’. The film was more like Mad MaxA generous 2 considering you could write the script on the back of a condom wrapper. With so many good critic reviews I painfully sat until the end but reader please don’t be fooled. ‘Mad Max in the countyside’. The film was more like Mad Max in his uncles Shed with an overused 1970’s Playboy magazine.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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