AWAKE (2021)

AWAKE (2021)

Tagline: Disorientation. Hallucinations. Hysteria. Sleep Is Survival.

(Action, Sci-Fi, Don’t Close Your Eyes) [R]

Note: This movie was released on streaming services under a TV-MA rating. That is generally considered the equivalent of a [R]. 

Enough people said that the Earth was flat, so the Earth was flat. Then, they said the Earth was round... so the Earth was round.

In this one, a global phenomenon happens and nearly everyone loses their ability to sleep. It doesn’t take long before everyone is in a massive panic. Former U.S. Army medic Jill is now dead set on doing everything she can with her training to teach and protect her kids in this new world. As the hours and days pass, people become more and more dangerous as they lose their minds sliding into hysteria and hallucinations. Meanwhile, Jill discovers that for some reason her daughter Matilda can sleep. Will anyone survive the terror of being perpetually AWAKE?

First off, this movie moves pretty slow and it isn’t until the final act that we really get more than a few minutes of engaging action at any time. I was definitely intrigued by how they were going to resolve the issue, or even not resolve it. Some people have tried to compare this to BIRDBOX but I never saw that movie, so I am not going to make you suffer through those comparisons. 

Acting-wise, Gina Rodriguez (MY SUPER PSYCHO SWEET 16: PART 2) is very good as Jill in this. I thought she was a great choice for the lead here. Ariana Greenblatt (LOVE AND MONSTERS) is amazing as Matilda. This girl pretty much crushes everything she is in and at age 15 she’s already been in 16 different projects. I hope whoever is in charge of her career is really watching out for her best interest. Sometimes “firecracker” careers like this fizzle out and things get weird. Shamier Anderson (JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4) is good in this, but for some reason was given a really wild set of ideas in the dialog. Basically, it’s not too often you see a character kind of defending flat earth myths and simultaneously thinking that removing all the stuff you know that doesn’t make sense would lead to the end of starvation? Anyway, if you can get Shamier in your movie, that is never a bad idea. Lucius Hoyos (THE COLONY) is decent in this as Noah. I don’t want to say he stood out as much as everyone else, but he certainly didn’t suck. Then wrapping up the main cast we get Jennifer Jason Leigh who plays Dr. Murphy in this. I think she played a pretty interesting character but was miscast here. For me, Jennifer Jason Leigh is hit and miss as far as the projects she picks, but she is an amazing actress. 

I think this film comes the closest to being what is basically a dystopian zombie film without having any actual zombies. No one is eating anyone, but the craziness level of the panic is almost on a zombie-like level. I did really like the performances and the concept, but the script is just okay. I thought the score was forgettable as was the soundtrack. Cinematically this this is pretty well done but the dark atmospherics lend to the somber nature of the film, but it also kind of makes this a dull watch.

Overall AWAKE gets a 4 out of 7 from me. It’s better than just okay, but there are better-executed sci-fi flicks out there.

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