Antebellum

For some reason or another, I was excited to see Antebellum earlier this year when initial trailers began to appear. 

I like Janelle Monae, it had the added benefit of being from the producers of Get Out and Us, and the trailers sold it as some sort of sci-fi thriller/horror film with the same racial elements and storytelling that was part of what made those aforementioned films so strong.

Up until this film, I've resisted the urge to purchase a PVOD film in this COVID-world, including Mulan. For the most part, this seems like it has been the right move as there haven't really been any that set the world on fire or seemed to require a viewing/review from me. 

Knowing Antebellum would go to $20 PVOD for a while now, I resisted the urge to skip it and shell out the cash anyway, hoping it would surpass my expectations and at least give me an interesting twist or ending to think about. 

The blunt reality of it is that Antebellum almost deserves a PVOD release because I was left disappointed and the more it sits with me, the more I believe this isn't all that good of a film. A significant component of that is because the film is mis-marketed (to a certain degree) and I made too many assumptions about it beforehand. The result is a film that - sure, it "comes" from similar DNA as Get Out or Us - but is only a fraction as entertaining, clever, and poignant. And as my unfair disappointment washes away (because it wasn't what I wanted it to be), it becomes more clear that this just isn't very good storytelling. 

What's clear about Antebellum from the start is that it's visually appealing. This keeps up throughout the film for the most part and the cinematography is generally an elevating factor of this otherwise fairly dumb film. Initially, I believed the original score was going to be worth a damn too, but it ended up fading into mediocrity after a compelling first scene. Luckily however, they were able to get Janelle Monae as the star and, despite the story's stumbles, her character and her performance are worth watching. Her ability to command a screen with high fashion and appropriate emotion is worth noting too as she's the most significant member of an otherwise forgettable cast. 

^^ Me at the ending. Wasn't a fan of the "twist"

Janelle's fashion is probably
the best part of the film

Antebellum is a frustrating film otherwise because it builds and contorts itself to act as if it's going to have something significant to say and also have sort of awesome twist ending that stays with you. It's clear to me why they bothered to market it as a sci-fi/horror mash because the truth is, without suspecting either of those things, this would be a boring film to sell. Where I anticipated I would get something akin to Us, you get (without giving it away) an ending that suggests almost something more like this year's The Hunt. Again, part of this could be my disappointment that there's no time travel or zanier explanation but once the ending happens I can't stop thinking back on the film and saying, "How dumb...". Perhaps others will like it, or think it's clever. For me, I found it pretty stupid, disappointing, and not at all realistic for a film that then adamantly declares it has no supernatural or science fiction ties. What's worse is that it's all a bit disjointed by the end as we're given a non-linear telling (to a certain degree) and the film also feels like it doesn't have much to say that's beneficial or compelling in a year like 2020 where racial inequity is at the forefront of many discussions. 

There's not much more to say about Antebellum even though I wish there was. I was hoping to make my first foray into PVOD at least a "good" little science fiction and/or thriller flick that I've been looking forward to for several months. Instead I'm left with a film that struggled to market itself correctly (without being directly misleading) when the truth was that it was just kind of dumb and hollow. 

CONS

• Sure, it's not the direction I was hoping for, but the twist is dumb and retroactively makes the movie worse for it
• Not sure why there was any reason for some non-linear storytelling
• Original score that starts strong and fades away
• Forgettable and I was hoping it would be the opposite
• Given the films it's related to (Get Out, Us), it's a massive disappointment

PROS

• The mystery of it all keeps you guessing, despite the payoff
• Good, sometimes great cinematography
• Janelle Monae is effortlessly watchable and should be in more movies

Rath's Review Score | 5/10