Lee protects her orphaned nieces Imogen and Maeve from a self-destructing world, raising them in isolation until an outsider threatens their peaceful existence.
Chuck says:
The world has come to an end. A virus has swept through large population centers leaving only patches of survivors. A sense of paranoia and fear has descended over those who are left. Can anyone be trusted when food and water are hard to come by? And what about the risk of taking anyone in, as they may be infected? What’s a person to do at the end of the world?
This is a question that’s been asked ad nauseum where movies are concerned but it doesn’t stop Alec Tibaldi from asking it yet one more time in “Lazareth,” a derivative exercise that brings nothing new to the apocalyptic film genre. Though it contains two strong performances from a pair of promising young actresses, this proves to be a repetitive exercise that only succeeds in reminding us of better movies.
In the outskirts of Seattle, Lee (Ashley Judd) has carved out an existence with her two nieces, Maeve and Imogen (Sarah Pidgeon and Katie Douglas, respectively). Living off the land, they have cobbled together a life that is peaceful but it’s not without its dangers. Lee periodically goes into town to scavenge for supplies, returning with tales of how horrible conditions are, instilling a sense of dread in the girls. Restricted to the immediate area around their home, the girls are completely unaware of what the outside world is like.
This is a fine situation…until it isn’t. One day on an excursion to gather herbs, Maeve stumbles upon a wounded young man. Astounded by the sight, she shares her discovery with her sister and the girls bring their unconscious new friend to their home, hiding him in the basement away from their aunt. Obviously, this is a plan destined to fail and once Lee discovers their new border, she’s less than pleased. Yet, the trio nurses Owen (Asher Angel) back to health, his presence becoming a distraction in more ways than one.
I’m not sure if Tibaldi and screenwriter Mike Nilon attended the same writer’s workshop at some point but I wouldn’t be surprised. The latter’s “Arcadian,” which was released earlier this year starring Nicolas Cage as a father of two boys, is almost the same as “Lazareth,” beat by beat. The only difference is that Tribaldi’s film focuses on two teenage girls, which does bring a new dynamic to the premise.
The sheltered nature of the sisters’ upbringing prompts a curiosity in the pair that their aunt’s stories of violence and danger can’t quash. And as Owen heals and proves he’s not a threat, Maeve and Imogen begin to look at him in a different light, their simultaneous sexual awakening resulting in a rivalry that takes an unexpected turn.
Speaking of plot twists, Tibaldi throws the viewer a curveball at the beginning of the third act, not an overly original development but one that casts all that has happened in a different light. Unfortunately, like so many elements in the script, its more intriguing possibilities aren’t explored. This is especially glaring where Lee is concerned. We get little information about her background, which is fertile narrative ground. Bitter, condescending and paranoid, it’s obvious events have occurred in her past that have caused her to deal with their situation in the way she does. It’s unfortunate this isn’t explored as Judd is forced to give a grating, one-note performance which consists of simply displaying varying degrees of anger.
To be sure, Tibaldi is sincere in delivering his message on the dangers of isolationism. However, this theme has been explored many times before, rendering “Lazareth” unnecessary.
2 Stars
