Elevation [2024]

February 10, 2026

Just by looking at the poster and brief summary of this movie, you can already tell what’s it going to be like. Elevation is a mildly entertaining post-apocalyptic action thriller, a forgettable distraction, and a decent way to kill eighty minutes. The story takes a while to get going but once it does, it quickly makes up for any lost time with the stereotypical character development. The ending, on the other hand, feels rushed. We find ourselves in a grim future where powerful alien beasts have taken over almost the entire planet. However, something prevents these Reapers from venturing to places with an elevation of 8,000 feet (2439 meters) or higher.

And exactly those places, high up in the mountains, are the last refuge for our dwindling civilization. Will, a single father with a sick son, is one of those survivors. He and a couple of others decide to venture into the unknown banded by the hope of the better tomorrow. If all of this seems a bit generic, flimsy, and superficial it’s because it is. We’re at a familiar and dare I say cozy territory. Elevation is basically an elevated B movie, a throwback to all those eighties post-apocalyptic movies but with much better visuals. The cinematography, the setting, and especially the special effects are some of the main things that make this movie worth watching.

The creatures look great and quite threatening, like alien cockroaches ready to kill anything in sight. And the sound effects added another imposing element to their presence. Additionally, since they appeared out of nowhere, from some strange sinkholes, it could be that they were always here. I’ll leave this little mystery for you to enjoy without revealing any spoilers. Elevation was filmed in Colorado with the city of Boulder playing a major part in the story. The little town of Gold Hill served as an outpost we see in the movie while the abandoned resort is Copper Mountain Resort. The stunning Rocky Mountains never looked this beautiful and imposing.

Beneath them are lush and green forests perfect for your daily dose of post-apocalyptic escapism. Since the apocalypse hasn’t happened yet to us in the real world, this is also a good opportunity to put this place on your travel itinerary. Anthony Mackie, Morena Baccarin, and Maddie Hasson did a good job with the lead roles. Too bad the script felt heavy-handed and forced. Luckily, the main appeal of Elevation is the mystery behind the appearance of the monsters, the Reapers. Where did they come from and do they have any vulnerabilities? It seems like we’re living through another War of the Worlds.

As I already mentioned, the ending feels a bit rushed. I think there was enough material here for a mini-series, especially when you consider the big twist at the end. With better writing, this could’ve been one of those streaming wonders. Instead, here I am, five paragraphs in and struggling to find something to talk about. I guess I should mention the director George Nolfi, who wrote scripts for such hits as Ocean’s Twelve and Bourne Ultimatum. Moreover, he’s currently writing the script for the latest addition to the Star Wars franchise, Star Wars: New Jedi Order. And I should clarify that he was only the director here as John Glenn, Jacob Roman, and Kenny Ryan wrote this rather mediocre script.

Nolfi’s 2016 movie Spectral is quite similar to Elevation but with a much darker atmosphere and faster pacing. Finally, if you’re looking for something a bit upbeat but with monsters I highly suggest you check out Love and Monsters. And I guess that The Gorge, starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy. That’s about it folks, I don’t want to keep you any further, go forth and watch good movies.