Film Review – THE DIVIDE ★★☆☆☆

You have to hand it to The Divide for possibly presenting us with some of the most intense indie film moments we will see this year (yes, I know its only mid-January). This post-apocalyptic mind bender starts off with a bang (literally) and keeps captive in your throat a lump of impending dread. Dark, violent, and disturbing, you could call this a “Lord of the Flies” experiment in an age of third world nuclear threats.

Featuring a cast with a lot of genre street cred including Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), and Lauren German (Hostel, Part II), the script allows them to dig deep into areas of the human condition one would rather not visit, much less be trapped underground with. I am not entering spoiler territory in revealing that New York City is vaporized by nukes in the opening moments of the film (the scene is viewable below), and it is a test of survival from that point on as violent tensions simmer in the bunker.

The plot follows nine tenants of a New York City apartment high rise who find shelter in the building’s underground safe house, which is lord and mastered by Mickey the superintendent (played by a tough and gruff cigar chomping Biehn). Quickly the burning question presents itself. Which will prove to be the greater immediate threat: The nuclear fallout or the survivors themselves?

The systematic deterioration of the characters’ sanity and the depths they sink to keep The Divide at a tension level riding at red. Director Xavier Gens manages some creative shooting in cramped spaces that are suited to host the dense tense atmosphere of claustrophobic madness. The shoot itself looks like it could not have been a walk in the park.

© Anchor Bay Films

How much food and water could Mickey possibly have down there to share? Who exactly is the enemy responsible for the attack? Is there salvation or even a city standing beyond the sealed bunker? What happens when the people you are trapped with are not the most ideal of folks, and take the basic concept of Big Brother down to the darkest level possible? All these concerns factor additionally towards what drives the tension. Or they may gnaw at audiences as issues that need to be addressed.

Some of the cast really give it their all for their roles. Biehn as Mickey turns in a strong performance as a former firefighter haunted by ghosts of 9/11 who finds himself shepherding eight desperate survivors. Milo Ventimiglia also delivers a strong turn with his disturbing transformation for his role as Josh, whose identity snaps under the weight of isolation and inevitable fate. Additionally, Rosanna Arquette’s portrayal of a shattered fragile mother will leave an impression on audiences, and Lauren German anchors the film as Eva, the sole voice of reason.

While certainly not a film for everyone, this is far from a feel good experience and the script suffers from a few lingering logistical questions. But some strong performances along with select cringe worthy moments (that would easily feel at home as scenes from Saw), help push The Divide into a disturbing psychological roller coaster that should linger in your mind after the credits roll.The Divide, directed by Xavier Gens, opens in limited release on January 13th from Anchor Bay Films.