From Writer/Director Matthew Ogens, in the aftermath of an unknown catastrophe, a community left with zero living adults has descended into a modern-day Lord of the Flies, run by a small cabal of what had been the jocks occupying the athletic and social upper crust of the local high school, headed by Caleb (Patrick Schwarzenegger, SCOUTS GUIDE TO THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE). Faced with the bleak despair of their situation, Josh (Jacob Lofland, MUD) and Jessie (Sophie Kennedy Clark, PHILOMENA) strike out on a dangerous journey into the unknown to find family and hope for the future, with Caleb and his vicious underling Gentry (James Bloor, LEATHERFACE) in hot pursuit.
GO NORTH is post-apocalypse film without zombies. Well, without any of the normal end of world scenarios that we know of. No time is spent explaining to us what has happened to lead us to to this 'lord of flies' time period as we are thrust into a world that has obviously seen better days. Jacob Lofland leads the cast as the bullied Josh, who sees more to life than the prison style way the jocks control things. Patrick Schwartzenegger (yep, Ahnold's son) leads the jocks, but not without some compassion, he is the quintessential troubled and plagued leader with a sister (Sophie Kennedy Clark) to protect. Rounding out the lead cast is Patrick's alternate, the bully and likely serial killer James Bloor, that pledges allegiance to his leader but is probably hoping to overthrow him some day. The entire cast is well assembled and the story unfolds without explanation or apologies.
I personally find the lack of exposition refreshing. We learn just enough about this apocalypse through the new life these kids have and as they look back at artifacts and memories of what it was before. There are few flash backs although pictures are talked about. Also, the leaders of this new society have chosen to wipe out memories of life before by banning religion, and everything related to their once modern world in favor of living in the now and teaching survival skills rather than reading and writing. Survival skills are something not taught in school today and I believe they should be just in case the real apocalypse happens. Make it a part of health class or something, Sex Ed/Survival training. Anyway, the point of the refusal of the jocks to live in the past is reasonable if not a little naive. History has taught us the importance of remembering the past as well as moving beyond it. This has also caused a rift among the younger survivors who are often persecuted for trying to make sense out of their new lives amongst the hardships of the bleakness of the new landscape and the under the thumb of the ruling jocks. If nothing else GO NORTH is the study of a society broken, that has gone back to basics, in the hopes of rebuilding something new.
GO NORTH is a beautiful piece of cinematography. I couldn't help but be impressed by each perfectly framed shot reminescient of classic films like Cool Hand Luke during the field working scene. Also, when viewing the aftermath of whatever has transpired, the bleak landscape, the delapitate homes, and abondoned cars/houses/buildings are framed in such a way that this new world is character itself. Each still is a piece of art both beautiful and depressing. In the end we have the required confrontations, budding love story, and hope for the future. Though not a flawless and perfect film, GO NORTH is something else adn worthy of viewing along side your favorite post-apocalypse films like The road.
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