Captive State (2019) [Blu-ray]
Sci-Fi | Thriller

Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, "Captive State" explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.

Storyline: Set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after an occupation by an extra-terrestrial force, Captive State explores the lives on both sides of the conflict - the collaborators and dissidents.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Martin Liebman, June 12, 2019 Captive State offers a good, detailed look at its porcupine-like CGI aliens in the opening minutes, but the revelation ultimately means little to the movie. Director Rupert Wyatt's (The Escapist, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) picture is not concerned with the aliens' physical appearances or depicting them interacting with humanity, either positively or negatively. The film is instead built around the idea of a longstanding, shadowy resistance working against the aliens' brand of law-and-order, the seemingly benevolent but secretly heavy-handed authoritarian rule by which they now control mankind. The picture centers around human characters and plans in motion and ideas and the state of the world, not simpleminded man-versus alien action such as that depicted in Battle: Los Angeles. It's not even an exploration of the nitty-gritty details of human-alien coexistence seen in the modern classic District 9. Wyatt's picture is a thoughtful, but ultimately cluttered, examination of the human spirit under oppressive rule. Metaphorical allusions obviously abound, but the picture is not quite tight or engaging enough to make much of it matter.

Following a global invasion by superior alien forces, mankind has surrendered to avoid annihilation. The military has demobilized. The world is now under alien legislative control. The otherworldly overlords are known as "The Legislators;" they have become the first, and final, word on law and order in the world. Chicago, amongst other cities, has been walled off and residents have been relocated. The aliens live underground and mankind aids in their quest to absorb Earth's natural resources. Poverty reigns while the wealthy few grow ever more rich. Digital communications have been cut off. The world is truly under the thumb of a tyrannical force, which is obvious to most despite attempts at a more benevolent façade.

Now, it has been nine years since aliens gained control of the world. A human resistance group known as "Phoenix," operating out of Chicago, has been long thought subdued. Chicago Police Commander William Mulligan (John Goodman) believes otherwise and his assumption is ultimately proven correct. Leading the secretive organization is a man named Rafe Drummond (Jonathan Majors) who is planning an attack on a "Unity Rally" at Chicago's Soldier Field. Rafe's brother Gabriel (Ashton Sanders), who is not a revolutionary but rather an everyman hoping to survive in the new world, soon finds himself a central cog in the clash between Phoenix and the local, alien-controlled authorities.

The film is never quite so engaging as it should be. There's a feel for disconnect between the audience and the story. Wyatt can't quite find and build that bridge, can't quite do enough to fully draw the audience into the story and ask that it invest its heart and soul into the characters, their world, and their plight. The film struggles to move beyond painting in shades of black and white, and the gray that exists in between feels a little too foggy to better define the world. The story might have worked far better as a television miniseries in the tradition of V (the original from the 80s, not necessarily the linked remake which this reviewer has admittedly not seen) where a better opportunity for absorption into the world, more expansive character detail, more finely tuned narrative characteristics, better fleshed out plot lines might have improved on the material. Wyatt and his cast work well enough with the allotted runtime, but it never feels like enough to create the necessarily compelling world, relatable characters, and feel for the oppression necessary to compliment and elevate the story to its fullest potential.

Captive State is not a high concept picture, even if it obviously wants to be. It's unquestionably grounded in a solid, approachable, perhaps even compelling foundation, but there's just not enough time or balance to create a complete cinema experience. Audiences in search of the next Battle: Los Angeles will leave disappointed, and probably leave early. Audiences looking for the next District 9 or Alien Nation might find the film a bit more palatable, but understand the film is less about the aliens themselves and more about the spirit man has built under occupation. It's a quality film but also an imperfect film. Universal's Blu-ray, however, does offer high yield video and audio presentations. The disc includes a couple of featurettes and an audio commentary track. Worth a look.

[CSW] -1.3- What in the un-world was anybody thinking when they made this movie? There was no backstory, no setup, and really no point. The first time I saw the sketch I had some idea where the plot was headed. Again it wasn't the acting but the complete lack of development of the underling storyline that made everything sink into quagmire. Nothing seemed real because there was no storyline development to support the motivation of the characters. It turns onto into a messed up tale that has no idea how to show you what it wanted to say and it can't even keep its aliens straight. I did find it humorous that being bugged was done with bugs. All in all I do understand the premise that was never developed but filling in all of the details with only my imagination does not make for a good movie.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box


º º