The Last Days – 2013 – modern post apocalypse
As always when a movie gets multiple releases the cover differs a bit from release to release. Some might look very interesting just by looking at the cover and some others wouldn’t make your head turn. In the case of The Last Days, I really like the Njutafilms release. It gives me a sense of hopelessness and I think that’s an important quality of post-apocalyptic films. Of course, there’s a need for hope as well or there wouldn’t be any point with the films. I think we need the hope to help us identify with the protagonist of the movie. But on the other hand, it would be uplifting in some strange way to see a movie where there’s absolutely no hope for mankind and everything goes down the drain in the end.
The Last Days has hope though. We get to know the main characters pretty early. Or we at least get to know them on the surface. They join forces to transport themselves from one part of the town to the other. That’s something that is easier said than done. They cannot go outside. They must stay in tunnels and subway systems and not get exposed to the outside. I can’t really figure out why since they can stand in the doorway and be just fine but as soon as they step outside it’s another story. So I guess it cannot be radiation in the regular sense. But nevermind. They cannot go outside.
This plot alone wouldn’t make a very good picture. It would be kind of sparse. So we through in some character in there. These men get to know each other and become friends. They confide in each other, tell each other about their inner thoughts and help each other out in a greater way than their initial agreement dictates.
From time to time it’s a pretty violent movie. Some scenes are true: kill or be killed. There is true despair and ever laughter in the darkest moment. In all this, it’s also a very realistic movie. That’s what sets it apart from the classic post-apocalyptic movies I think. I mean, we have all seen the films that feature women in perfect haircuts even if the earth just got nuked. Perfect hair and perfect makeup. Now, this is not that kind of movie. This is about the friendship between men and there are not many women in the storyline but you see what I mean, don’t you?
Maybe it also adds to the realism that the film is in Spanish and not an American movie. I don’t know. But on the other hand, many of the classics came from Italy and still features perfect hair and makeup. But never mind all that. I really liked the movie, it’s a great adventure from one end of the city to the other.
