Writer-director Zak Hilditch makes a movie reminiscent of 1988’s Miracle Mile, that weird indie film that had Anthony Edwards racing to find Mare Winningham before the Earth went kablooey in a nuclear holocaust. Hilditch sets his film in Australia, where that part of the globe awaits a wall of fire resulting from some sort of asteroid strike (the true cause is never fully explained). James (Nathan Phillips), with his wife’s permission, makes the decision to leave her and join his mistress at an apocalypse party. On the way to the mayhem, he rescues a young girl (Angourie Rice) from a fate worse than death, and begins to attain a sense of responsibility and compassion in the last hours of his life. Phillips puts forth a strong, frantic performance while Rice provides a nice, serene balance. The party itself is madness personified, with James coming to the rescue of Rose, and he reaches a true turning point. Some of the film drags a bit, but it’s quite good for most of its run. I especially liked the ending, which wraps things up nicely. (Available for rent on iTunes, Amazon.com and On Demand during its limited theatrical run.)
These Final Hours
