The Last Sentinel is not content to be just another dystopian future movie. A small group of soldiers are stationed at sea. Months have passed since their tour ended and tensions have begun to rise. When a boat is seen headed toward them the group wonders if help has finally arrived or if it is something more sinister?
It is a recipe for tension that has worked in many stories. A sense of loneliness is immediately conveyed and there are some taut moments. More often than not the futuristic setting will even take a backseat to despair and isolation. When the mystery boat makes it introduction, a new layer of uncertainty is added.
The production and storytelling also adds to the atmosphere. Director Tanel Toom does an excellent job of maximizing the suspense with some great set design. Meanwhile, Malachi Smyth’s script is surprisingly lean despite running a little long. There are no exposition dumps as the story unfolds.
The downside to this relaxed pace is it sometimes feels like The Last Sentinel is just spinning its wheels. This becomes most clear toward the end when the big twist falls flat. As interesting as the story potentially is, the film does not make them feel as important. It is a passable watch that is never as engaging as it should be.
Thankfully, while there is not much in the way of character development, there are strong performances. The small cast means there are only so many directions the mystery can go, but at least everyone gives it their all. This means that The Last Sentinel may be filled with archetypal interactions, but they are well acted.
The end result is a good looking and competent movie filled with performances that carry an average script. The Last Sentinel has moments of tension, but it never lives up to the promise seen in the first act.
The Last Sentinel is available on digital and VOD
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