THE DIVIDE: NO HOPE

I'm amazed at the movies that depict the results of a nuclear war and how they've changed over the years. In the past, during my childhood years, there was always a sense of hope and cooperation between survivors in those films. During my teen years we were treated to the terrifying glimpse of the reality of the results of this form of war. And now as I've grown older, it seems a new generation feels that man can not do anything but remain destructive and petty. Where has all the hope gone?

THE DIVIDE opens with a nuclear bomb going off while Eva (Lauren German) watches from the window in her high rise apartment. Her boyfriend grabs her arm and they rush off down the stairs hoping to find an escape. Instead when they get to the lobby, they find themselves nearly crushed as the tide of people come running back in to avoid the blast wave and, fortunately for them, they have the chance to join a few that have made it to a bomb shelter in the basement.

The shelter was kept up by the apartment building's super, Mickey (Michael Biehn). And Mickey now intends to rule this basement as he sees fit, sharing what he has with the rest but by with certain restrictions. Some of the people want to leave but Mickey explains to them that the dust from the bomb will make the chances of survival outside next to impossible. It's better to wait it out till things settle.

Tempers and egos flare as each person wants to make their own decisions, failing to take into consideration that simply opening the door could do them all in. The posturing of males wanes back and forth while Mickey still controls them all in his most unpleasant manner.

The psychological aspects of being alive but trapped in a shelter play out throughout this film offering us little hope in a world where people care about one another but would rather focus on themselves only. Eventually help does arrive or so it seems. Instead the protective suited armed group that enters doesn't aid all but just a little girl in their midst. When members of this group later try to find out what's going on, the military welds shut the door and leaves them to themselves. Will they release them later? Who knows?

Before that day can happen the group begins to change. Not only physically but mentally as well. Life among the living deteriorates and the basest behaviors are displayed among them all. It becomes a sad tale in a world where insane attitudes seem to rule.

I'm not averse to movies that depict the world as it is. But it seems that these days a younger generation seems to have no hope in mankind or the world we live in. We've gone from a world where a generation dreamed of reaching to the stars to a world where we accept defeat at the hands of bombs. A new generation of film makers seems to see the worst mankind has to offer and expects that to be the norm rather than the exception. Then again with the self absorbed youths of today perhaps they're on to something.

It may seem as if I've revealed quite a bit about this movie, but most of it could have been witnessed in the trailer. There is much more that happens and all of it depressing as Hell. to me that's not entertainment. I couldn't find much that I could recommend about this film unless none of the things mentioned bothers you. Director Xavier Gens also made the film FRONTIERS which many touted as the best film they'd seen in years. I found that movie to be more disturbing than entertaining as well. But if you liked that one my guess is you'll enjoy this as well. For all others, pass it by.

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