Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘The Quiet Earth’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

Sometimes, life gets a little overwhelming, and when it does, our minds like to wander. Because our imagination and our fantasies help us to cope with rough times and here and there, those two elements have allowed for all of us to envision, what life would be like if we were free of the hustle and bustle of the world. For some, that fantasy involves what a dream vacation at the furthest reaches of the world might look like, and how tasty the umbrella drinks might be there. For others, they dream of a trip to the mountains where they can hike to a point where cities are mere dots on the horizon and at this point, you’re probably noticing a theme in that, when the world gets us down, a little isolation and ‘me time’ sounds delightful.
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Yet, there are some who take their fantasies further, and simply envision a world where mankind doesn’t exist and the only inhabitant of this tiny blue rock flying through space is the dreamer and the cutest of animals,, and this particular fantasy exists simply because it’s quite lovely to envision a world without bills or burdens, just the freedom to do whatever one wants whenever one wants but alas, it is only a fantasy and, such a notion may not be all it is cracked up to be. Because while it is nice to get away from it all once in a while, we do thrive on human interaction and we do need our loved ones around us and if that extreme fantasy were to come true, one wonders how we would cope in a world without our friends and family. But thankfully, film is always here to explore such concepts and recently I was able to revisit a film that explores this grand notion and all of its ups and downs in fascinating fashion in The Quiet Earth.

Now in this particular film we are introduced to a man named Zac Hobson who, is having the strangest day. Because despite the fact that it is an average morning in the world, there isn’t a single human being to be found, or animal for that matter as well and while that would potentially cause panic in the average person, there’s a calm that Zac exudes when he discovers this because he may know the reason for this desolation. For Zac works with a company that has been toying some with experimental energy theories and their work has done something to cause the vast majority of life on earth to disappear. Which means that Zac is now faced with the prospect of being the last man on the planet and while that sounds delightful at first, he quickly learns solitude is not all it is cracked up to be, which is why he’s thankful that he discovers there are a few survivors left. But while he is able to find some comfort in the new friends he’s met, the little paradise they’re trying to build for themselves may not last, for the experiment is still running and it’s primed to fire again, and unless Zac can figure out how to stop it, it just might destroy the entire universe. 

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So, I think what I liked the most about this particular film, is the sheer fact that it isn’t sappy in the slightest. For one might think that a movie where all of mankind disappears, would eventually lead to some kind of lamenting from our main character, and potential remorse for a life that was not fulfilled but that’s just not present here. Instead, Zac immediately dives into the magic of having the world at his fingertips and once the wonder of that runs its course, the horror and devastation of his standing as the last man on earth sinks in and things get supremely dark, which is why I’m glad the story introduces another human being when it does so that Zac has a greater purpose outside of getting by. And what’s equally as impressive about this motion picture is that it has more to explore than the mere power of isolation and loneliness, it also takes the time to dive into the fact that even when faced with extreme circumstances, people tend to stay the course.
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Because the introduction of Joanne, and later Api, should serve as a blessing for everyone since its clear isolation was ripping everyone’s respective psyche to shreds. Meaning that this reunion of humanity should have resulted in cooperation and gratitude, the kind that saw everyone appreciate their rediscovered sense of community, but alas, that’s just not the case. It’s still every man or woman for themselves in this instance, and the past still weighs heavy on every single character’s mind and it’s just a fascinating idea to introduce the notion that we might not change when presented with the end of the world and what I truly appreciated about this particular exploration is that the film didn’t condemn mankind or try and make it seem as though we aren’t worthy of salvation, it simply presented us as we are, flawed and terrified of change.

When all is said and done however, this motion picture really is a refreshing treat to say the least. Because normally sci-fi themed films in this vein focus heavily on the technobabble and how saving humanity will in turn save the character or characters souls. But this, this is basically a grand exploration of what would happen if every day Janes and Joes found themselves in a world without people and the realism present here pulls you in, and perhaps the movie’s greatest accomplishment, is the sheer fact that it is devoid of any messages or commentary on our world. It simply speaks to the fact that while we are flawed and have plenty of problems, we really do need one another, whether we want to acknowledge it or not, and that’s why I highly recommend you see this one if you haven’t before. Because it is an original and intriguing approach to an age-old fantasy, one that deep down, we know would probably suck if it actually came true. 

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