Release date: December 11, 2020
Running time: 90 minutes
Starring: KJ Apa, Sofia Carson, Craig Robinson, Bradley Whitford, Peter Stormare, Alexandra Daddario, with Paul Walter Hauser and Demi Moore
Directed by: Adam Mason
Written by: Adam Mason & Simon Boyes
Four years into quarantine the virus has changed and so have we. The COVID-23 virus has mutated and the world is in its fourth year of lockdown. Infected Americans are ripped from their homes and forced into quarantine camps known as Q-Zones, from which there is no escape, as a few brave souls fight back against the forces of oppression. Amid this dystopian landscape, a fearless courier, Nico (KJ Apa), who’s immune to the deadly pathogen, finds hope and love with Sara (Sofia Carson), though her lockdown prohibits them from physical contact. When Sara is believed to have become infected, Nico races desperately across the barren streets of Los Angeles in search of the only thing that can save her from imprisonment . . . or worse.
As a movie made entirely during lockdown (and the first one made in LA during this time) the movie feels very timely. In Songbird, the pandemic has been raging for years and has mutated to the extent that it is dangerous for anyone without protection to even go outside. Except for the few immune people, everyone else is in permanent lockdown and isolation. And this leads to an economy where those with money can get the conveniences they would hope for during this time, and those without live in constant fear of infection. And the film does a really nice job of setting up this post apocalyptic world, with some good effects to make LA look abandoned and in disrepair. There are very noticeable locales that have been remade or rendered as desolate and it really gives a great sense of the setting early on. The film also does a great job of setting up this world and the bike riding delivery economy that developed. I really liked this idea and the way that the packages would be sanitized by those that could afford them. It set up a scenario that is playing out now as well, where those who are able to work and make money from home seem to have some disruption to their lifestyle but not nearly the pain felt by those in different life situations.
And Songbird assembled a great cast to bring this world to life. KJ Apa is showing why he is a future superstar. He has an effortless acting that makes his characters feel genuine and likeable. I really liked his performance in I Still Believe and his performance in Songbird shows he has plenty of depth to his acting chops. Sofia Carson is a good choice as a love interest and strong female counterpart to him, and her character really shows the limitations of those that are not immune. Craig Robinson is a great choice always and his character brought some levity and much needed diversity to this film. And Demi Moore, Alexanda Daddario, Peter Stormare and Bradley Whitford help to give the story additional depth and angles, as well as highlight how other people live during this time. And any movie that has Paul Walter Hauser is instantly made better and I really liked his no holds barred corrupt character in this film.
The film is a dramatization but it also crafts an interesting world with plenty of characters and an exciting story. I went in not expecting much from this film and was pleasantly surprised. I especially liked the way that the immune individuals were treated and had free roam of the city. It set up a very interesting dynamic between those who won the genetic lottery and were able to move about freely, and those who were stuck in quarantine and relied on them for their day to day comforts and sometimes their lives. And the film also highlighted some interesting moral choices. And despite it adding plenty of unrealistic aspects and dramatic flair to the story, the added action and drama that made the story exciting and enjoyable. Sure some parts of the story didn't make sense and there was a fairly convoluted subplot in the middle, but overall the imagination and cast of Songbird more than make up for any shortcomings.
Songbird's interesting take on a post-apocalyptic world and its stellar cast deliver a thrilling and sadly timely quarantine adventure.
Watch it.
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Songbird is available on PVOD on Friday, December 11.
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