Many
terrorism and infrastructure experts worry about the potential damage an
Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack could wreak on our power grid. However, an
EMP could be the best hope for humanity in the dark days following the alien
invasion. Despite his scrambled brains, a U.S. Special Forces amnesiac intends
to be part of the last stand in Joe Miale’s Revolt,
which opens tomorrow in New York.
The
last thing he remembers was fighting the metallic spider-like aliens—poorly. Coming
to in a provincial jail cell, the mystery soldier is now a sitting duck for
unsavory local and galactic elements alike. However, the French NGO doctor in
the cell next to his is probably in an even worse position. Nadia is pretty
cynical for an aide worker, but she is somewhat impressed when he escapes from
a smalltime warlord’s gang and returns to rescue her. Henceforth, Nadia will
call him “Bo,” based on the two remaining letters stitched on his uniform.
Bo
and Nadia decide to team up and head towards a series of radio telescopes a
hundred miles or so from the current battle zone. They seem to be the only
man-made structures in Kenya that have not been damaged by the aliens, so Bo
hopes they can rendezvous with the American military there. It is not a great
plan, but it is better than standing around waiting to be killed or abducted.
Revolt is not exactly the
most original or spectacular science fiction film to land in theaters, but it
is sturdily effective. There is no question the key to the film’s success is
the chemistry and charisma of the co-leads, Lee Pace and Bérénice Marlohe. Pace,
the Halt and Catch Fire actor (who
was excellent in City Center’s production of Terrence McNally’s The Golden Age) makes a credible and
compelling action figure, while Marlohe has successfully transitioned from Bond
Girl-victim (in Skyfall) to a
take-no-prisoners sf butt-kicker, here in Revolt
and Kill Switch before it.
Frankly, they are only cast-members who get character development arcs to speak
of, but they handle them rather dexterously, between all the running and
shooting and crashing.
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