Movie Review ~ Elevation

Even in times of desperation, when we go to the movies, we’ve loved watching humanity pitted against monstrous foes in desolate landscapes. It’s a scenario that filmmakers have repeatedly returned to—from lumbering zombies in George Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead to the bioengineered threats in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later. With Elevation, director George Nolfi taps into this timeless fascination, but he takes the stakes a mile high—literally.

Civilization crumbles under the terror of ruthless creatures, and the last sanctuary becomes the mountain peaks, where survival is only possible above 8,000 feet. All of this happens within the first 20 seconds of the film, before we meet any characters to attach ourselves to and before the title is shown.  Survivors have established communities in these upper-range areas, only venturing past clearly marked elevation lines only when necessary and never for an extended amount of time. It’s in this precarious setting that Anthony Mackie’s (Pain & Gain) Will, a widowed father of a young son with breathing problems, must brave uncharted terrain and face his worst fears, all for a desperate shot at saving his child.

Will’s mission forces an uneasy partnership with Nina (Morena Baccarin, Last Looks), a fringe scientist whose research on creatures with impenetrable skin might hold the key to reclaiming Earth’s surface. Their unlikely alliance is balanced by the tough Katie (Maddie Hasson, Malignant), whose survival instincts seem perfectly honed to the brutal demands of life below “the Line”—that crucial marker between safety and certain death. Together, they venture into a wilderness more hostile than anything civilization left behind.

With Mackie and Baccarin leading the cast, Elevation aims high—pun intended—looking to tap into the same enthusiasm seen in sprawling franchise films like those of the Marvel universe, where both actors have made memorable appearances. While Elevation doesn’t quite scale those same heights in terms of polish or grandeur, the setup hints at the potential for a larger story. Make no mistake, it’s a focused effort to create a grounded post-apocalyptic saga with episodic expansion, much like HBO’s The Last of Us. However, unlike that genre-defining series based on a video game, Elevation (an original story written by John Glenn, Kenny Ryan, and Jacob Roman) sometimes feels like it’s reaching with less grace. The connective tissue between its ambition past a one-and-done creature feature adventure and an execution that remains firmly in B-movie territory isn’t always seamless, and that’s where it loses a bit of its footing.

Mackie brings a believable intensity to Will, grounding him in a convincing grit that transcends typical action-hero swagger (don’t worry, he’ll be back to his superhero duties for February’s Captain America: Brave New World). His screen chemistry with Baccarin feels authentic—there’s just enough tension and skepticism to keep things interesting without derailing the mission. Baccarin plays Nina with determined resolve, and it helps that even the heaviest scientific exposition doesn’t feel forced.  Baccarin is an actress that is fun to track because she can compartmentalize emotions well, but still play that she’s affected by an unseen bruise. Meanwhile, Hasson’s Katie injects a burst of youthful resilience into the trio, though her character’s backstory is the least explored by the nature of the 90-minute runtime.

Nolfi, known for genre-adjacent projects like 2011’s The Adjustment Bureau (which I still consider underrated!), demonstrates his talent for building tension in confined spaces. Several sequences where the trio navigates abandoned structures pulse with genuine suspense and turn reliably nail-biting, including one set atop a ski lift that will make you think twice about hopping on one again.  Even if the creatures pursuing them aren’t always convincing, the CGI work ranges from serviceable to distracting, innovative direction focuses on human drama rather than monster mechanics.   

The high-altitude premise offers a fresh perspective on familiar post-apocalyptic territory, even if the execution doesn’t quite reach the summit. Sweeping mountain vistas capture the beauty and isolation of humanity’s last refuge, shot with an eye for scale that emphasizes our species’ diminished status. Budget constraints become apparent whenever the action moves indoors through generic set design and flat lighting. Yet Nolfi delivers where it counts most, and what it lacks in refinement, it makes up for with genuine thrills and intriguing mythology that begs for exploration in potential sequels which I would have no qualms sitting through.

The film’s world-building introduces interesting questions about adaptation and survival, even if it doesn’t fully explore them. Nolfi and his screenwriters plant seeds for a broader story, with enough suspense, close calls, and dangerous detours to keep you engaged. Elevation is an easily digestible entry for those willing to embrace its flaws.  It’s popcorn entertainment that leaves you curious about the world it has barely begun to explore.