By George & Josh Bate
A future filled with gas masks, lockdowns, and nuclear radiation never feels too far away, and Hollywood has been intent on playing with these ideas for decades now. Some of these films (or, slightly less commonly, television shows) show the gruesome side of the apocalypse, such as Amazon’s Fallout series. On the other hand, there are stories told where the apocalyptic world exists more as a setup for the characters in the film.
That’s the case for Littermates, which made its world premiere at this year’s Fantastic Fest. Directed by Scott Tinkham and Michael Woloson, the film follows a trio of people they survive together in a house in the English countryside. The film provides viewers with just enough information on what’s going on outside the house to get a solid understanding of what the characters are dealing with – ongoing conflict in Europe has led to the use of chemical weapons, the effects of which include severe memory loss and speech impairment, both of which which may be permanent. Two of the housemates are taken in by the owner, Chester, and he helps them recover from their injuries and speak once again.
There may be plenty of movies in this post apocalyptic space, but Littermates does well to stand on its own. The story, mainly the chemical weapons and the memory loss and speechlessness that they cause, is unique enough to be solid grounding for this film. Not only is it unique, but it’s also genuinely intriguing as well – audiences will likely find themselves asking questions like who these strangers were before the chemicals wiped out their memories, along with some tough questions regarding the true intentions of Chester.
The latter question means that Littermates doesn’t just have to rely upon its end of the world scenario for suspense. Instead, the film can, and certainly does, lean into the motivations of the man helping strangers rehabilitate in his home. This causes some tension in the film’s story, but also helps greatly in creating an atmosphere ripe for a horror thriller like this.
Without giving too much away, Littermates does unexpectedly turn away from many of these ideas when it becomes something of a road trip movie. From there, the film takes on a new identity, one which has more of a sense of humor. Some may like this shift, while others may find themselves enjoying the sinister nature of the film’s first half more. There’s plenty to like about Littermates once it takes that turn, though, as some of the humor lands well (Chester rolling down a hill on his wheelchair is a standout moment). Yet, it’s hard not to mourn the direction that the film appeared to be heading in when it makes its change.
VERDICT: 7.5/10
Littermates offers a unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre, using chemical weapons, memory loss, and speech impairment to create an intriguing setup for its story. The film does a particularly good job of building suspense around the mysterious Chester and his intentions, creating an atmosphere that works well for a horror thriller. However, the movie takes an unexpected turn in its second half, becoming more of a road trip movie with a greater emphasis on humor. While there’s still plenty to like about Littermates after this shift, it’s difficult not to miss the sinister direction the film appeared to be heading in earlier on.