Young Ones – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

Young Ones is like a post-apocalyptic western focused on life after a severe drought ruins a local area’s economy.

Review (with Spoilers)

With quite a few familiar names amongst the cast such as Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning, as well as Kodi Smit-McPhee, I felt instantly drawn to the film. However, as time goes on you realize this isn’t like most of the dramas the aforementioned names have been in. For with elements of sci-fi, a bit of action, and an almost western feel, Young Ones stands out amongst most of their filmographies. Now, as for whether it is a good stand out or a bad one, look below.

Characters & Story

Ernest Holm (Michael Shannon) has been trying to figure out a way to revive his farms for years. Thing is, with a drought making his land barren, it has been seen as a futile quest. But with him having a wife, Katherine (Aimee Mullins), and two children, Mary (Elle Fanning) & Jerome (Kodi Smit-McPhee), to take care of, he transports supplies while he waits for rain to come and tries negotiating with a local water company. But while it seems the family lives the simply life, Ernest’s past comes to haunt him and his family, especially when Flem (Nicholas Hoult) is introduced and threatens Ernest on multiple occasions. Leading you to wonder, by the end of the movie, which man maybe left standing?

Praise

I will admit, off the bat, with a western type feel the film may seem slow to you. However, it makes up for it with having sci-fi elements as well as a handful of actions scenes used throughout. What really helps though is the drama, of which for each of the 3 chapters there is one major event. Most of which revolved around Flem for, with him being ambitious, he causes a lot of strife.

Criticism

Between the movie splitting itself into chapters, and the western feel, I must admit I got bored during chapter one to the point of me of wanting to take this off the schedule. However, once chapter 1 ends, and things start rolling, I was able to make it through. But let me say this: as much as Flem helps liven the movie, sometimes his actions do not feel like they are enough to keep you committed to finishing this. That is, unless you see this in theaters.

Overall: TV Viewing

I honestly can’t imagine sitting through this movie, in one sitting, unless at the movies. It is slow, even when it starts getting good, and as much as it has action and surprises, nothing is so good you wonder what may happen next? If anything, the surprises wake you up a bit as you start to lose interest or doze off. Hence the TV Viewing label, and sparse praise and criticism. For while the movie is decent, it solely is able to command your attention through dramatic moments and the performances of the actors.

Collected Quote(s)

“I like history. Everyone’s so damned scared to repeat it, they never thought how bad the alternatives was.”

—           Calvin Hooyman (David Clatworthy): Young Ones

“Blame is the lazy person’s way of making sense of chaos.”

—	Flem Lever (Nicholas Hoult) – Young Ones