Aftermath (2024): Review and Summary

Dylan Sprouse stars as a veteran who is caught in a terrorist attack on American soil, trying to keep his little sister from being killed in action.

Film Length	1 Hour 37 Minutes
Release Date	November 1, 2024
Advisory Rating	Not Rated
Initially Available On/Via	Digital
Genre(s)	Action, Thriller
Distributor	Voltage Pictures
Director	Patrick Lussier
Writer	Nathan Graham Davis
Character Name	Actor
Eric Matthew Daniels	Dylan Sprouse
Madeline	Megan Stott
Samantha “Doc” Brown	Dichen Lachman
James Roken	Mason Gooding

Plot Summary

Eric has just returned home after a nearly two-year stint in the military and decided one of the first things he wants to do is spend time with his little sister, Madeline. Unfortunately, the night they were supposed to go to the movies, a woman named Samantha Brown was being transported in a corrections vehicle, and a man named James Roken planned to intercept that vehicle through a terrorist attack on a bridge.

Throughout the movie, we watch as James Roken and his crew plan to coerce Samantha and the Pentagon to reveal his truth about their military careers.

Character Descriptions

Eric Matthew Daniels

Corporal Eric M. Daniels was a US Army Ranger who served two tours before returning home. One reason for his departure was a confrontation with the leader of an area he patrolled.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Dismissed.”

Madeline

Madeline is Eric’s 16-year-old sister, who he hasn’t seen in roughly two years.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Little Fires Everywhere.”

Samantha “Doc” Brown

Samantha was an army staff sergeant who oversaw Retcon Squad One Three, which were contractors—at least until she became a whistleblower.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Altered Carbon.”

James Roken

James is the leader of Retcon Squad One Three and is noted to be one of the youngest Captains in US military history.

• The actor is also known for their role in “Fall.”

Other Noteworthy Information

• Movie Contains: Cursing, Gun Violence, Blood, Notable Fight Scenes, Criminal Acts (Terrorism)
• The distributor is also known for “First Love.”

Collected Quote(s)

• […] you don’t know me. So try not to meet the wrong version. — Eric

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

Audience

“Aftermath” is made for those who like action movies that don’t span a globe but a tight space that requires planning and confrontation throughout.

Highlights

Sprouse As A Action Hero

In his recent choices, Sprouse has clearly decided to gear his career to roles that require a level of physicality beyond just comedy. However, with “Aftermath,” he is going full-on action hero. Now, I will say that the layers they tried to add to Eric by giving him PTSD and regret didn’t hit as hard as I’m sure the folks behind the film would have liked.

However, Sprouse, as an army veteran capable of hand-to-hand combat, using rifles, being in knife fights, and more came off as credible. Add in his usual charm when Eric shared a scene with Madeline and Samantha, and while I wouldn’t say “Aftermath” should become a franchise, it does make for a movie Sprouse can point to for bigger things.

Crazy But Sympathetic Villain

James is clearly troubled, but like many people in the military, it is easy to feel torn about their role. Their job is to keep the peace or prevent issues that could lead to escalation. So, while bombing for peace is like having sex for virginity, there is no denying that there is some deterrent in having soldiers like James who are able and willing to kill. The problem is, where the line for what is acceptable is for one person, it likely isn’t for another.

So, James doing what it takes to take out terrorists is a goal that many will support, but having a high civilian casualty is not. This is what leaves us torn for the death of women, children, and innocent men, this is the news headline that haunts you and damns a soldier, but at the same time, it comes and goes when soldiers lose their lives, and often they become statistics. Heck, as shown even by Eric, even when it comes to support, things may not get better when you return home and hang up your helmet.

This isn’t to imply that the film gets crazy deep into James’ personal life and makes him a sympathetic villain on purpose, but you cannot deny that part of what made him twisted was what was expected and what he went through. Never mind, for someone now being pushed to be a war criminal, how do you explain his rank and title? Does being a captain not mean he did what he was supposed to, did it right, and consistently got the job done?

On The Fence

Minimal Care About Who Lives Or Dies

There are other characters in the film beyond the ones we named, but, as with most of our reviews, if they don’t need to be named, even if a considerable star plays the character, we don’t name them. But, regarding “Aftermath,” we don’t name members of James’ crew or talk much about Madeline or Samantha because you’re not strongly pushed to care who lives or dies. Yes, Madeline is 16, and you can imagine the trauma her death would cause, but at the same time, it would have boosted James to the point that, for the sake of him playing the villain, you almost want that.

Then, with Samantha, while she is the catalyst and has a number of quality action scenes, nothing is done with her to the point of you caring about who she is. She is just a vendor providing you with action; there isn’t a notable story behind how she got there. Let me be clear: They do give her backstory, but it’s exposition that doesn’t evolve beyond being nice to know, which you could submit is how most character development feels in “Aftermath.”

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