Aftershock is Still Rumbling Late into the Picture: A Movie Review

*there are some spoilers here.

Director: Nicolás López.

Writers: Guillermo Amoedo, Nicolás López and Eli Roth.

Cast: Lorenza Izzo, Nicolás Martínez, Eli Roth, Natasha Yarovenko, Ariel Levy and Andrea Osvárt.

Aftershock is the latest horror title from Hostel creator Eli Roth. Roth even headlines this piece and Roth is one of three writers for the film. The story borrows from the many disaster films of the '70s. In films like The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974): characters are introduced, a chaotic event takes place and the conclusion ends peacefully. This formula is mostly followed in Aftershock. Yet, the conclusion here is a lot more tragic. As well, the principal characters are lost by the beginning of Act 3, which is a strange choice. Aftershock still manages to remain entertaining despite a slow start.

The story begins with three friends: Pollo (Nicolás Martínez), Gringo (Eli Roth) and Ariel (Ariel Levy). These three characters enjoy wine tasting excursions, partying into he wee hours of the night and evading concrete blocks when an earthquake hits. Their Chilean misadventures are now truly horrifying. Pollo, Gringo and Ariel must now evade looters, rioters and a whole assortment of terrors, with three young women they have just met. You might think that the minor characters will be the first to perish in this dangerous environment, but that is not the case.

The chaos onscreen is well done and the film's strongest element. Once the terror begins, this group of party-goers find themselves alone and vulnerable in debris strewn streets. The destruction of a local prison yard has brought convicts into the night and one group of criminals chases the friends through much of the film's climax. Concrete pillars fall, firetrucks crash and there is an intensity found in the film's action. The characters are driven onwards from tragedy to tragedy and this viewer enjoyed the up tempo and terror onscreen.

Fans of disaster films will have to wade through a slowly paced opening act, though. The first thirty minutes of the film is very different in tone and style compared to the later acts. The introduction is done in the style of films like the Hangover. There is even a Zach Galifianakis look-alike as played by Nicolás Martínez. Though, these early scenes seem less comedic than Todd Phillips' earlier film. And, it is difficult to watch grown men behave like children through these tortuously slow early scenes. More conflict was needed in the first act to grab one viewer's attention.

There is also a strange character shift, leading into the film's conclusion. The first act developed the characters Pollo, Gringo and Ariel; yet, in latter scenes, these characters are completely lost. The minor characters, Kylie (Lorenza Izzo), Irina (Natasha Yarovenko) and Monica (Andrea Osvart), who step into the void are less well-developed. In most films, the protagonist or protagonists are the focus of the film's story development. The writing here is less kind to characters and there is hardly anyone to root for by the end of the film's ninety minutes.

Aftershock is still an exciting film. The many threats developed onscreen look believable. As well, this story is action driven, which is a favourite of this film fan. There are several tragic events and most horror fans will find something entertaining in this disaster film. Aftershock is still quaking just before the credits roll and their is an appeal in all of the chaos onscreen.

Overall: 7 out of 10 (the writing is simple, characters are not treated kindly in this film, a nice contrast of tone from the first act leading into the second).

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