Stake Land and Finding Meaning: A Movie Review

*Full disclosure: a DVD screener of this film was provided by IFC Films and Brigade Marketing.

Director: Jim Mickle.

Writers: Jim Mickle and Nick Damici.

Stake Land is a collaboration of Glass Eye Pix, Dark Sky Films and IFC Films. Released April 22nd theatrically and through cable providers, Stake Land takes human struggles and puts them on a religious stage. The message is clear; man's greatest threat is himself, especially when that man comes preaching of God. What remains is a character driven film, which often creates a tense environment, through the conflicts of a group of survivors and a Christian cult, called the Brotherhood. The eighty eight minute runtime flashes by too quickly and the film ends in a suitable dramatic fashion.

Martin (Connor Paolo) hears his parents killed by a hideous beast, in an exterior garage. A stranger by the name of Mister comes to his aid. However, the damage is done and soon Martin and Mister must hit the road. These two characters form the focus of Mickle's endeavour, while other minor characters come and go. Mister is a mentor to Martin, while Martin is "something to hold on to," for Nick Damici's character. Together, they form a powerful bond, which is need in a world turned vampiric and apocalyptic.

In this wasteland, Mickle and Martin meet some desperate characters and some tough characters as well. Sister (Kelly McGillis) finds shelter with this duo, after escaping an attack, while Belle (Danielle Harris) shows up after a brief stop in a fortified town. Tension is created by Mickle, through his use of believable and likable characters. You care what happens to them, as you despise those who get in their way. And Jebedia, a cultist, is not a man you want to be staring down late at night, on the road. His looming presence creates the electricity, that will leave viewers expecting danger at every curve in the road.

Jebedia's followers really know how to crash a party, when they drop "vamps" into a town gathering. Here, survivors are briefly letting their hair down. Their sabotage via helicopter assault dampens the mood of the film and Mickle is teasing a message, which becomes clearer later on. Simply, religious extremism is a greater threat to humanity, than those shambling out of the woods screaming for blood. To be spiritual brings hope, but to enforce your religious will on others leads to yours and other's downfall.

Martin and Mister are ever moving north, to Canada, in order to find a safe area, called New Eden. Here, there is promise of a new settlement and once these two characters get close to their destination, there is a parting of ways. No longer needing a protector, nor a mentor, Mister moves on, allowing Martin to travel on his own with a new partner. Martin stands tall on two feet now and the parting ends the film with a final dramatic flourish. Martin and new friend Peggy (Bonnie Dennison) step into New Eden, as a symbolic Adam and Eve, set to begin the world anew.

The final moments dissolve into a black screen, which will leave many viewers wanting more. However, Stake Land can be re-watched by viewers to find their own personal messages, in a thrilling fantasy world, where the greatest danger to man is himself. In this type of environment, it is best not to turn your back on those promising salvation, while facing forward to look at the spreading vampire apocalypse before you and hoping for Eden.

Overall: 8.5 out of 10 (strong writing, good characters, heavy and light materials, well executed).

A fan page for the film is here:

Stake Land on Facebook

These films are also vampire thrillers, but they are not quite as entertaining as Stake Land. Stake Land will release on DVD soon:



Advertise Here - Contact me Michael Allen at 28DLA

 |  |  |  |  | 

Subscribe to 28 Days Later: An Analysis by Email

Posted in: 2011,danielle harris,jim mickles,movie review,nick damici,stake land,vampire apocalypse