Last Survivors (2021) Review

Premiering at Frightfest last Halloween was Drew Mylrea’s feature ‘Last Survivors’. Father and son Troy (Stephen Moyer) and Drake (Drew Van Acker) live a simple existence off grid. Having retreated to the wilderness in the aftermath of a devastating world war, the men have developed their personal utopia by utilising rudimentary skills of survival.

With little memory of the time ‘before’, Drake’s curiosity is piqued by the elusive world around him – a fascination that he keeps hidden from his strict father. A chance encounter with Henrietta (Alicia Silverstone) sets off a chain of events that will change their lives forever.

Set in the beautiful snow tipped mountains of Montana, the vast, rural setting manages to feel both peaceful and ominously desolate. Fiercely protective of the home they have built, Troy’s aversion to outsiders means the men can rely only on each other and Troy instills in his son a mantra of ‘kill or be killed’.

It is suggested his intense behaviour is as a result of his traumatic experience in the war which brought ruin to the world around him. But Drake’s loneliness is a powerful driver and this leads him to question his fathers paranoid perception that has shaped his life.

The feature was originally titled SHTF – a term linked to doomsday preppers standing for their emergency plan for when ‘shit hits the fan’. I’m glad the title was reworked, as ‘Last Survivors’ works much better to give the film the serious tone it evokes along with some subtle implications that aids the narrative.

Some may find the premise a little predictable, but the character development is a prime focus and works well to keep the audience invested. Personally, I wish the ending mirrored the tone of the movie as things seem to wrap a little too neatly, but overall Last Survivors is an enjoyable film that delivers some strong performances from the relatively small cast.

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