The Quiet Earth
The End of the World is Just Beginning...
At exactly 6:12 am, government research scientist Zac Hobson (a powerhouse performance by Bruno Lawrence of Smash Palace and Utu) awakens to discover that he may be the last man on earth: homes, highways and entire cities are deserted. Empty planes have fallen from the sky. Every living thing has disappeared. But for Hobson, the ultimate shock is still to come months later when he finds that he is not alone. With the addition of a beautiful young woman (Alison Routledge) and a Maori trucker (Pete Smith), the apocalypse suddenly becomes very personal.
What has happened to everyone else on the planet? Why has Zac himself survived? Will sexual tension lead to sudden violence? And what is the ultimate responsibility for a man of science when the end of the world may be just the beginning?
Member Reviews
interesting and thoughtful sci-fi film - Jason70
As I recently watched Outland, another non-typical sci-fi film, I'd like to share thoughts on another film in this genre that is more cerebral and less action oriented.
The Quiet Earth is compelling and very especially well acted by the lead character. For much of the film, it's about one man's struggle to face a lifetime of being alone in a world that is both familiar yet alien in its absence of humanity. It can be funny, disturbing and poignant.
The action picks up a bit in the second half of the movie, but if that's your motivation for watching sci-fi, action and aliens and weird landscapes, this is not the film for you.
Without giving anything away, it's riveting up until the ending which is a bit of a headscratcher. I had to watch the end again with commentary to get a better sense of it.
A well-done, thoughtful movie that deals with bigger issues than how to blow up things in the future (though there is a tiny bit of that in this film). Not perfect but highly recommended for those who like to ponder bigger issues and who enjoy not knowing where a movie is leading.VERY BORING - sonicFLY
Need to sleep? Watch this movie. I know its a classic, but it was so uninteresting. Imagine the world with only you in it... Now imagine you have to watch that. Its also very predicatible! Trust me when I say, there's nothing at the end of the movie that makes it worth sitting through it. Very dull! Want to see a classic apocolyptic movie... rent MAD MAX! You'll be far far more entertained.predictable and somewhat boring - Christo
It's funny how so much of the stuff from the 80s seem simplistic and predictable when you look at it today. Like this film. It's hard to not feel like you know exactly what's going to happen. Everything here has been done much better and more interestingly since then. This was the Reagan nuclear mania era and it's easy to understand where this film comes from. But in the end, you'll be bored out of your teeth and probably feel like you've already seen this many times...
Member Reviews
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interesting and thoughtful sci-fi film - Jason70
As I recently watched Outland, another non-typical sci-fi film, I'd like to share thoughts on another film in this genre that is more cerebral and less action oriented.
The Quiet Earth is compelling and very especially well acted by the lead character. ...VERY BORING - sonicFLY
Need to sleep? Watch this movie. I know its a classic, but it was so uninteresting. Imagine the world with only you in it... Now imagine you have to watch that. Its also very predicatible! Trust me when I say, there's nothing at the end of the movie that ...predictable and somewhat boring - Christo
It's funny how so much of the stuff from the 80s seem simplistic and predictable when you look at it today. Like this film. It's hard to not feel like you know exactly what's going to happen. Everything here has been done much better and more interestingly ...