Elevation

by Mike McGranaghan

The monsters arrived three years ago and wiped out most of Earth’s population. A lucky few discovered that they won’t go more than 8,000 feet above sea level. Nobody knows why. A bunch of survivors live way up high in the Rocky Mountains, where they have managed to cling to a piece of society. Posts and a painted white line indicate where they must stay to ensure safety. Cross the line and your life is immediately in danger. That’s the set-up to Elevation, an exciting sci-fi/horror/action hybrid.

Anthony Mackie stars as Will. His wife was killed by the creatures, leaving him alone with eight-year-old son Hunter (Danny Boyd, Jr.) and friend Katie (Maddie Hasson). Hunter has a medical condition that requires him to be on oxygen. When the last filter for his machine expires, Will decides to make a trek below the line to reach a hospital that has more. Katie accompanies him, as does Nina (Morena Baccarin), a bitter, drunken scientist searching for a way to kill the seemingly invincible beasts.

Suspense is mined from the fact that Will and crew have to enter the danger zone several times during their mission. Elevation has an intense scene where the characters try to evade the creatures by jump-starting an old ski lift. Later, there’s an equally thrilling sequence set deep inside an underground mine that plays on claustrophobia or, more specifically, being trapped in a confined space with a monster. Director George Nolfi (The Adjustment Bureau) similarly gets our pulses quickening with moments where the characters race for the safety line while being chased.

Part of what makes the movie effective is its use of locations. One section takes place in an area that has a huge pipeline running through it. The actors scale real sections of mountain in some shots, and an actual mine entrance helps set the stage for the eeriness to follow. Beautifully constructed sets are utilized for other parts, like the mine interior and an abandoned hospital. You can easily buy into the story’s premise because of how authentic the settings are.

Anthony Mackie once again proves to be a dynamic actor. His performance nicely balances the mixture of determination and fear that drives Will. The star delivers that necessary quality where the hero has motivations we can identify with, even though his predicament is pure fantasy. Baccarin and Hasson are strong, too, creating friction between Katie and Nina that brings another layer of edginess to the plot.

Elevation does take a few narrative shortcuts. Characters conveniently know how to operate or fix things when needed, and a working automobile just happens to present itself at the exact right time. I could forgive those tiny manipulations because the movie kept my eyes glued to the screen from beginning to end. This is a well-made, edge-of-your-seat picture that’s perfect for fans of A Quiet Place, Never Let Go, and Bird Box.

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