CAPTIVE STATE
US, 2019, 109 minutes, Colour.
John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Vera Farmiga, Kevin Dunn, James Ransone, Alan Ruck, Kevin J O' Connor, Ben Daniels.
Directed by Rupert Wyatt.
Captive State has some popular ideas from science fiction and fantasy. It presupposes the possibility of alien invasions – and, at the beginning, visualises monstrous aliens with their destructive powers.
However, a lot of news headlines are given at the beginning of the film, indicating what has happened, the aliens taken over, assuming government, finding closed areas to live, human life carrying on as usual under the domination – but, as always, a rebel group.
The focus is on two brothers who survive an initial attack by the alien. One becomes a leader of the uprising, working with the networks and a range of characters who share the ideology of the uprising. The other works scientifically.
One of the main focus characters of the film is Mulligan, the police inspector, played in his burly way by John Goodman. He is head of the police, trying to put down the uprising. He makes contact with the young man who works in the laboratory, revealing his brother is alive and head of the uprising.
However, Mulligan is a dominating character, puts down the uprising, works in collaboration with his police staff, has a raid on the home of a prostitute, former teacher (Vera Farmiga), who is in contact with the rebels. There is a revelation that she was getting information from various officials and transmitting it to the rebels.
The ending is rather ambiguous, Mulligan not being what he seems.
The film was directed by British Rupert Wyatt, who made Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Gambler, and the miniseries of The Mosquito Coast.
- Science-fiction fantasy? Alien invasion? Political and social domination of earth? The credibility of the plot?
- The Chicago settings, the initial panic, the roads, the tunnel? The vistas of Chicago, familiar, changed? offices? Homes? The underground? The musical score?
- The title, the opening, the family driving, the monster, the two boys surviving? The detailed information, the aliens, controlling, their closed areas for habitation? Humans subjugated?
- The two sons, Gabriel, his work, the contact with Mulligan, with Jane Doe? The contacts, finding his brother, the cigarette, the uprising? The continued contact with Mulligan? The special chip, the video, the explanations? His future? The contrast with Rafe, survival, going underground, leadership, the network, the uprising, the activities?
- Mulligan, official, his staff, the uprising, his police status, ambitions? His visit to Jane Doe, the clash with her? The meetings with Gabriel? Helping him? The various officials, working with them, clashes, collaboration? His attitude towards the uprising? The visit with Gabriel, the chip, the information about the past, his presence with Gabriel’s father, police work? With Jane Doe when she was a teacher? The raid, her room, her death, covering her body? The microphone, the information given to Jane Doe by the various officials and her transmitting them?
- The various officials, their role as police, activities, interactions with Mulligan?
- The range of the network of the uprising, their jobs, personalities, connections, messages?
- The uprising, the failure? Mulligan and his attitude? His promotion?
- The finale, his going into the tunnel, his purpose, the uprising as a failure – and he setting himself up as the conqueror?
