Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Language, violence in ocean-set post-apocalyptic thriller.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Last Sentinel
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In LAST SENTINEL, it's the year 2063, and the entire planet has flooded except for two small continents, which are at war with one another. On a military outpost in the middle of the ocean, four people are stationed: Sgt. Hendrichs (Thomas Kretschmann), Cassidy (Kate Bosworth), Sullivan (Lucien Laviscount), and Baines (Martin McCann). Their two-year shift has been over for three months, but their relief has yet to arrive, and they've run short on supplies. One day they spy a boat on the horizon. It's abandoned, but it appears to have been their relief crew's vessel. Baines is able to get the boat running again, with the idea of finally going home, and Cassidy and Sullivan agree. But Sarge refuses to abandon his post and refuses to let the others go as well. The outpost houses a very dangerous weapon, and it must be protected at all costs.
Is It Any Good?
Small in budget but large in ambition, this futuristic, single-space thriller has a few bugs, but it also has interesting characters, a few intriguing twists, and a great setting. It's the ocean outpost that's the real star of Last Sentinel: It's a creaky, weather-beaten, tin-can tower with many corridors and rooms, including a secret workshop. Director Tanel Toom, who received an Oscar nomination for his very good 2010 short film The Confession, uses the space well while keeping the geography alluringly vague. The 117-minute running time may seem excessive for a B movie like this, but Toom uses the time well, to establish character interactions among the strong cast, to slowly build suspense, and to create more room to unveil the twists. There are some clunky, buggy parts, as if certain bits and pieces had been ruthlessly chopped out (perhaps the movie was shortened before release?), but Last Sentinel is of sturdy construction and very much worth a look.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Last Sentinel's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? How does alcohol affect the Baines character?
What do post-apocalyptic movies have to teach us about the way things are now? What can we do now to help prevent a grim future from happening?
Do you think the characters should have stayed at their post or taken the boat and left, given that they had fulfilled their obligation? Why?
What do you think you would miss most about your life if you were a character in this movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 24, 2023
- On DVD or streaming : March 24, 2023
- Cast : Kate Bosworth , Lucien Laviscount , Martin McCann
- Director : Tanel Toom
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Vertical Entertainment
- Genre : Thriller
- Run time : 117 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : April 11, 2023
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