Left One Alive

Sara (Sams), lumbering out of the woods soaked with blood, spear in one hand and the head of...something...in the other, is now the sole survivor of a mass slaughter where she and a group of her less-fortunate friends were attacked by creatures unknown. Finally rescued by a couple passing in a car, Sarah is thankfully taken to safety and away from her nightmarish ordeal.

But what happens to the final girl once she’s escaped the clutches of such creatures, the chainsaw-wielding maniac, an infinitely toothed monster, or a malevolent apparition? How does society react to the possibility that monsters might exist? With Left One Alive, writer/director David Axe invites us to look at what happens after the horror movie is over.

It’s quite an interesting idea that Axe manages to make the most of. After her rescue, the hospital trip, and the return home, for Sara, the hardest part begins: trying to transition back to normal life. Easier said than done; the media circus is already in full swing with endless reporters demanding interviews, not to mention the badgering from the general public and, of course, the inevitable movie adaptation.

Weaving in between these moments as we journey with Sara through the aftermath, Left One Alive explores some interesting and complex themes, while also managing to first and foremost put a sound story front and centre. PTSD, grief and survivor’s guilt are, of course, the core concepts here, but Axe also puts a magnifying glass over society’s obsession with finding opportunity in such trauma; Sara’s feelings are only ever fleetingly regarded by those who otherwise sense a chance to either make their name or a quick buck. Other themes, such as animal rights and morality, are all flirted with too, but to a lesser extent, while the film can also feel like quite the slow burn at times, but the film's technical excellence means that no minute feels wasted or irrelevant.

And Axe is always sure that no matter what the film might be trying to say or do at any given point, it all centres around Sara, who we watch descend deeper and deeper into apathy and nihilism as her mind becomes increasingly occupied by something else: revenge. Allowed to be relatable and sympathetic but never wholly likeable, Sara feels like a character with real depth and compelling rough edges, her actions and attitude towards those around her never really excusable but understandable, and it’s a deft performance from Sams that manages to get that balance just right. It does mean that almost all others within the cast (except for Linklater’s Tara, who brings a welcome change of energy during their short stint) tend to simply orbit around Sams with performances that are for sure capable but never ascend to anything more.

With the choice to make this a drama rather than the horror feature it itself parodies with its film within the film, Left One Alive is a very technically accomplished alternative to your usual horror tale that offers something a bit different and refreshing, even if it's more brilliant ideas are occasionally counter-weighted by some that are less so.