The Last Boy (2019) Online

This is a hard film to watch. It has beautiful cinematography, an amazing score, and very impressive acting. This is not a true post apocalyptic story, nor is it a science fiction film (although it has elements of both).Fantasy and spiritual are more apt. The true core of the film is people dealing with the idea of immortality. The fact that that the boy like everyone who joins him is likely going to die after having lost everything they care about, they still carry on because the place they are travelling to will grant them immortality. This is nothing like the Directors first film, which was pretty light and mainstream in comparison. Not everyone will like this movie, in fact, I find it hard to believe that this will get a wide release, as it is not a commercial film. It is an art film, a discussion piece, a beautiful poem about the fragility of life and the idea of forever.

Pretty good post apocalytptic yarn, not sure I saw into it as deeply as some but nice twist on on the genre and nice action as well. 8/10

Caught this at the Boston Sci fi fest last week. I liked the poster and intrigued by the premise. Had heard of Luke Goss and kind of associated him with below par action movies and wondered what he was doing in this. Later discovered he'd collaborated with the same director on interview with a hitman a film I'd heard of but not seen but more on that later. Anyway settled in not knowing what to expect and was well very pleasantly surprised. First of all Goss. I mean who knew he was such a class act, I mean top drawer stuff. He's definitely easy on the eye and it's not too hard to see how easy it would have been to get to A list status if he'd chosen his past movies better. As for the rest of the cast I loved their performances, esp Peter Guiness and the little girl Matilda. I've read some of the short sharp critiques by some on here and whilst not usually one to comment it kinda sucks and I think anyone reading this should just ignore most of that trash talk. The story's been compared to other other recent narratives but it stands on its own. The whole set up is fresh simple and believable. Religion plays a big part, focused mainly on christianity - the priest and the Goss. I thought that contrasted nicely with the Rumi mysticism I was very impressed with the 'wind' effects.. The ending is what makes or breaks a movie and the director goes all out and pulls it off in my opinion. Felt a tug on my heart strings. I wanted to watch Interview with a Hitman before commenting to see if this was fluke of some kind. Surprise surprise that was pretty damn good too. Not sure what Bhandal's up to next but if he can pull off two films which are so wildly different then he's got my attention. A well deserved 9//10

The characters at the heart of Bhandal's "The Last Boy" are people who embark on an arduous journey to a place that wlll grant them wishes. I didn't like the title I would have liked something like "The Field" which I think fits the film better.

I get that some people coming into this would hope to see some good old fashoned post apocalyptic sex, rape and violence but this isn't that kind of movie. Rumi doesn't do violence in fact Rumi is a far from the kind of human being that would be referenced in a post apocalyptic film as you could get.

Others have captured the essence of the story so not repeating except to say I'm probably just touching the surface of Bhandal's message. It's impressive that he could weave some of Rumi's most soulful work into his film and for it work to perfectly and resonate so emotionally. This will be a frustrating film for those that just look upon the surface of what Bhandal has presented. It will be even more maddening because Bhandal is an artist who does not like giving obvious answers to the questions he poses.

I like Bhandal's work. There is an eloquence and beauty it. That's not to say there aren't flaws. I hope we get to see the second part to this film and I hope next time a studio gives him more money and freedom to create.

Being a huge fan of Perry Bhandal and Luke Goss, I was truly looking forward to finally seeing this film. The bar was set pretty high by Luke and Perry's first film, Interview With a Hitman. Bhandal's The Last Boy did not disappoint.

When an auteur opens his film with a quote from Rumi's The Great Wagon, then subtly weaves the most meaningful verses into the script, one must look beneath the surface, or obvious plot, for the ingenious spiritual and enchanting subplot where the soul of the film dwells.

Perry Bhandal's The Last Boy is much more than the story of the survivors of a somewhat soft focus post apoplectic event.

Although the exact cause of said catastrophic event is never truly fully revealed, viewers are never lost as to backstory, underlying plot points or events subsequent because Bhandal leads the viewer just enough to encourage personalization of the film via allowing each viewer to implement their own perception of the unfolding story.

This masterful technique dovetails perfectly with Rumi's featured poetry and spiritual wisdom, which is deftly interjected and, in my opinion, pivotal to the film's plot.

The prominent verses featured are in essence a study of the realization of the spiritual realm, exploration of non-judgment and oneness.

Mankind tends to be dualistic and judgmental. By nature we divide, compartmentalize, and label thoughts, actions and emotions, which is often the sole source of internal conflict.

The post apoplectic winds may represent the fear that we harbor of death, our vulnerability to immovable universal forces, and unpredictable fate...or they may represent reconciliation of our human faults and foibles, the rejection of judgment and labels so we may lay fear aside embrace our oneness so we can enter the spiritual realm and finally realize that beyond the labels, fear, judgment and distinctions lies a serene place.

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there."

~Rumi

A bit theatrical sci fi movie, but it has cool parts and nice drama. It definitely could've been much better if some more details were given in the story. Anyways, it's cool and I liked it.

Good...I was sad when lily died...ending was happy :)....anyways was nice and I liked it

No blood in this one, but you do get humans turned to ash, a killer wind, a boy with special powers and a crazy place that grants wishes.

Cool movie 7/10

I liked it...okay the boy who played sira flynn allen is a bit wooden at the beginning but he was good the rest of the movie... anybody who says the other performances were not good is lying... all of them were good. the movie was emotional and original... the wind in birdbox a movie that probably cost twenty times the last boy was not done so well compared to what is in the last boy...i liked the story and the characters and the ending is what really made it special for me...8 out of 10

From some of the reviews a few people don't like or get this film but that's fine, everyone's entitled to their opinion as I'm sure they don't have a problem with people who do like the film expressing their opinion. For me, The Last Boy, is a great story told very well and personally I was deeply affected by this film.

I've read the poetry of Kahlil Gabron and discovered Rumi watching this film.I'm no new age hippy but I have an open mind and don't buy the usual human origin BS. This movie took me down the rabbit hole.

So lots of references to Birdbox, Happening, the 100 and so-on which I think are way off the mark once you look beyond the group of people/journey/danger similarities. Tarkovsky's stalker is a better comparison but is still way different from the world Bhandal has created. First is the wind really a killer wind? Because let's face it when people are turned to ash where do they go? Are they dead? Apperently not because three of them come back at the end in the place that grants wishes.

Bhandals playing with some pretty esoteric themes here, energy fields, portals to other worlds, the displacement of humanity but what I think this film is about is the power of Love.

The religious tones in this film are overt with the priest and his church (why did Bhandal choose that over any number of different bad guys) and subliminal with the place that grants wishes. I got the whole character motivaton thing Sira wants his mum back, Lilly wants her father back, Jesse wants the world back to the way it was (but she wants something else as the end) and Jay wants his wife back all compelling reasons to risk a journey to a place that grants wishes.

So they band together and in true selfish scientist fashion its Jesse who causes Lilly to be taken by the wind by her obsession with trying to find a scientific explanation for the wind and trying to replicate Sira's power. We find early on that he can deflect the wind with his mind. The question is where did this power come from? Is it a natural evolution of the human species to be able to survive the wind or has been changed somehow.

So Lilly gone and Jesse gets her equipment that will help her explain/control the wind and the three get to the place that grants wishes. That place is a field...yep a field. And it connects right back to the beginning of the film with the quote from Rumi 'beyond rightdoing and wrongdoing there is a field I will meet you there'. This suggests Bhandal knows exactly what he's doing. But wait when Rumi says 'field' does he mean a 'physical field' the field of grass or an 'energy field' or both?

When they arrive the field (of grass) transforms, the sky changes, church bells sound out, all very overtly religous. All the colours of the world change. Then the wind arrives, but not for them but to create a barrier before them. Jay, Jesse and Sira are trying to work out what's going on and why the wind isn't attacking when a figure appears bang smack in the middle of the wind protected by an 'energy field' surrounding them! Is this what Bhandal meant by 'field' from the quote by Rumi.

The figure is Jays wife. So he sees his wife, the woman he has been grieving for and uppermost in his thoughts, materialised and he can't get to her because of the wind surrounding her. Now put yourself in this position the person you have wished for stands just a short distance away what would you do?

Well they have Sira who uses his power to create a tunnel of the arches like a cathedral presumably made of the same energy protecting Jay's wife.

Jesse tries to analyse what Sira's doing as Sira tries to keep the arches intact as the wind gets stronger (is it alive, does it know?). As the arches collapse Jay runs to his wife but is caught before he can get to her. And he's turned to ash and his wife's protective field collapses and she's turned to ash for the second time. So what's the energy field? Is Bhandal alluding to what Gregg Braden talks about the energy field that emanates from all humans. Could it be 'Love'? The most powerful energy field that emanates from humans. Because Love is the only explanation that makes sense to me. Jay's wife's Love/Field keeps her alive in the wind and when Jay doesn't reach her in time and he's turned to ash, the Love turns to Grief and her Field collapses and she too is taken by the wind.

So Jesse and Sira and the wind are left. Then another figure appears Sira's mum and she too is enveloped in a Field (of Love). Jesse has learnt about the wind so can help him cross and he begins the walk through the tunnel, again the wind increases in power (to test his Love).

Sira redoubles his efforts and another figure appears beside his Mother, Lilly. And that is when we find out that what Jesse really wants is to atone for Lilly's death and wishes her back into life 'She was my wish'. So Sira approaches his Mother and Sira both in their separate fields, unaware of each other. They both hold out their hands to him and his mother tells him he has to decide. Presumably if he picks one the other will turn to ash again like with Jays wife. Then. Sira's mother quotes from the same Rumi poem that Lilly read at an abandoned house they stayed again. A quote about portals, and moving back and forth across two worlds. Is that what they are doing? Is that where everyone has disappeared to.

The wind builds and the tunnel is collapsing and Sira must decide so he takes there outstretched hands and binds them together, his mum's in Lilly's, their fields merge together and they look at each other as if for the first time, the field getting bigger and then they turn and walk into a blinding light leaving sira to be taken by the wind as the tunnel collapses. But the field (love) that surrounds Lilly and Siras mum as they walk into the light expands (is this because of the love for each other? for Sira?) and pushes all of the wind away, leaving Sira safe and returning the field back to normal.

So is the place that grants wishes a test of love? Why didn't Jay make it to his wife, was there doubt in his mind, why didn't his wifes field/love expand to encompass and protect him? Did she not love him enough? And are they all still alive in another world 'where the two worlds touch' and if they are how do they come back if there is no-one left to wish for them, are they forgotten forever?

The possibilities are endless and mind boggling. The is a film for our times. Maybe a little too soon. This film has played on my mind ever since I watched it. Judging from Bhandal's background and his previous film there's nothing to suggest any of this was intentional.

It's a beautiful story full of hope for us as a species, it's a brave film to make in these times.

I've given it an 8 but in my heart it's a 10.

'to a place that grants wishes'...reading that made me think of one of my favourite films Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker. Watching The Last Boy there were some similarities with Stalker but also Shamalayans's The Happening and the recent Birdbox.

Anyone expecting a blood and guts filled post apocalyptic gorefest will be disappointed but it's obvious from the tagline that it was never the writer or directors intention to make that kind of film and it certainly wasn't what I was expecting to see.

The Last Boy has a hopefulness and an innocence that the above films don't have (beautifully conveyed by the words of Rumi) , but that's not to say the dangers aren't real they are - both people and the lethal entity - in this case a wind that is visible and looks like a kind of wall of energy. In Stalker the entity never appeared - always at the periphery of the audience's consciousnes. In the happening it's the movement that belies the wind moving through the grass and trees. In Birdbox, well it's kind of visible sometimes and other times not. Each has its merits - personally I thought the wind in The Last Boy was very well done.

I enjoyed the film immensely. I can switch on netflix and find any number of bloody and violent post apocalyptic stories - not really my scene - but I can't do the same and find movies like this.

The film was very well cast with good performances. Luke as the sniper was very charismatic and really made the film his own, seems he works well with the director.

Read the words in the movies description and enter the world the director has created with that in mind and you won't be disappointed.

7/10

After the hype created by Bird Box, I checked this out.

It's quite a departure for writer / director Perry Bhandal whose first movie was about a Hitman growing up in the slums of Romania. That movie was pretty well received and it would have been easy to Bhandal carry on down that route. Instead he's chosen to try something completely that couldn't be more different. The kind of choice that can either kill or accelerate a career.

Whilst it doesn't hit every mark he aims for it's a very good film and shows Bhandal's not your run of the mill filmaker interested in just churning out a single genre movies.

The movies drops us straight into the story. Somethings happened and we find out that most of the worlds population has disappeared and there's a lethal wind that's mopping up the rest of humanity. Like birdbox and the happening it ignores naure and the animals. The ecological message is loud and clear in this movie and Bhandal clearly thinks the world would be better off without humans (or a lot less of them).

It starts quickly with Sira played by Flynn Allen (who ably shoulders the lead role) sets off on his journey when his sick mother passes. His departure feels a little too quick but when you make the connection with where he is going you understand why.

He's joined by Lilly played my Matilda Freeman (who is brilliant) a little girl that got lost when her family was ambushed by the wind.

We also find that Sira has a scanner that can detect the wind so armed with this they set off to the place that grants wishes whilst trying to avoid this lethal wind.

They come across a bunch of characters, good, bad and misguided. Peter Guiness who plays the priest is particularly good.

Jennife Scott who plays a misguided scientists is new on the scene and is a pretty good actress and of course Luke Goss needs no introduction plays a sniper who has lost a loved one.

Each of the characters has a compelling reason to join Sira and Lilly on their journey to their ultimate destination and for that Bhandal should be congratulated for creating a compelling narrative.

There is an unexpected twist two thirds of the way in and the ending is almost like a religous experience.

The film is good. There is an environmental subtext to it. It is eerie, disturbing and mysterious. I can understand what Bhandal tried to do and he largely succeeded with a I would say a fantasy sci fi. It will be interesting to see what he does next.

On the professors place, in the board, drawing of stonehenge and the word 'wishes' written next to it. Then a board with drawing of stonehenge from the air. I recognised but why? I didn't make connection until the end, when Jesse put the patterns of mums map and Jesses printout, it is Stonehenge, thats where they are going!!! So many other things - the stone angel next Siras mothers picture, the doll with the arm pointing at the house when the wind attacked and then Lilly is frozen the next day, like it is saying this is what is going to happen if you go, christianity, rumi, science, wishes, animals, nature it is all there. I wished Bhandal had made the stonehenge more clear but he didn't. There is something almost like Kubrick about what he has hidden. I see it. This film is brilliant. 10/10

Absolutely adore this film. The ending made my cry and I keep thinking about it. If you've ever lost anyone in your life then this is going to hit you hard.

Ignore the haters, it's a good, no it's a great movie!

I think this is one of those love or hate it movies. Personally I love films that dare to be different and this one does and pulls it off in my opinion. There's actually so much to digest - first of all this post apocolayptic world is one where most people have disappeared, so instead of leaving some dystpian nightmare with roaming gangs (done to death IMO, along with Zombies, sigh) it leaves a world no longer touched by humans. The british landscape is stunning and if the directors aim was to give us a taste of what the world could be like if we just left it be then that point comes across loud and clear - actually Jay, the sniper, does say as much at the end.

So what's left once everyone's gone - well things have changed, first of all there's a lethal wind that turns people to ash. A lot of people are comparing this to Birdbox, mostly saying Birdbox stole this idea - but besides that where Birdbox the wind wasn't visible - here it is. And it's done really well. Its like an entity in its own right and its one of things that makes this film unique. I applaud the filmkakers for trying so many new ideas, too many to mention and on the whole they work really well, probably too much to take in while watching but if you're like me they'll come to you afterwards.

They other thing that exists in this new world is the place that grants wishes. I'm not going to spoil it - just to say it took me completely by surprise and the filmakers should be congratulated by creating something amazing out if literally nothing.

I loved the cast, some veterans and also newcomers. I thought their performances were convincing and actually quite funny at times. Luke Goss who plays Jay the sniper is fantastic. He's worked with the director before and they obviously have something special because he is really really good.

If I had any criticism I thought the girl Lily decided to join the boy too quickly. But I guess you could say children behave differently to adults so maybe that's what would happen in reality who knows.

The Rumi theme is one of those things that I keep coming back to again and again as I keep on making connections between his words and the film. One tip - once you've watched - go back to the beginning and read the quote. Bit of an open mouth moment.

So in conclusion. The film looks beautiful, the story is unique and original and really gets to you. Must admit I'm a bit of a softie so the ending did make me cry.

8/10

Original filmmaking, beautiful to see it still exists. I loved the characters and felt the deeper message that made the ending all the more amazing. Kept thinking of the quote from Nietsche 'and those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.'

I wish it had a bigger budget, but not bad at all.

This film really touched me. The story is genuinely unique and it's brilliantly executed. It's set in a post apocalyptic world but not the ones you see time and time again in movies. There's not a lot I can say without giving too much away other than if you've ever lost anyone you love you can help but be moved by this film. I didn't know much about Rumi but his words are so perfect for this movie. The performances are so good especially the kids and the special effects and music are out of this world. Loved it.

Official selection at the prestigous 44th Boston Sci Fi Film Festival. I hope it wins and its selection is a testament to the films power and originality.

** minor spoiler alerts **

It's about a young boy who is travelling with his mother to a place that grants wishes in a world in which something terrible has happened and most of the people in the world have disappeared and something terrible has come into the world.

When his mother dies he has to travel on alone whilst trying to evade this terrible thing (I can't say what it is - except to say it is so unique and very scary)

Along the way he meets a number of people each on their own journey and they end up travelling together whilst trying to piece together what actually happened.

I can't say much more without giving loads away but its a very powerful film with such a beautiful message at its core, delivered via the poetry of Rumi. There are so much that's original and unique in this film. Its exciting, scary, thrilling and sad and all the cast were brilliant - not a single misstep. The highlights were the two youngsters Matilda Freeman and Flynn Allen, the Priest Peter Guiness and of course Luke Goss, whose performance was superb.

The special effects are exquisite and so original. And the ending...well you'll just have to watch the actual film - not just the trailer ;)

Don't know what some peoples problem is

its a good movie

watch it and see for yourself

next...

...judging by one of the previous reviews. I liked it though. It was engaging and the story was interesting and unique. The effects weren't bad either, The acting wasn't great but it wasn't bad enough to bother me. All in all, pretty good and worth watching.

Reminded me of stalker one of my all time favourite films. reading some of the negative comments here also reminds me of the many negative comments made about that classic film. seems these kinds of films you either love or hate.

Of course the below reviewer is just having a laugh, the music is really annoying, there are no special affects terribly bad acting by all, and worst child actors I've ever seen! Hated it.

But boy oh boy this film was very lackluster on many fronts. I think the idea of this movie is what appealed to the higher ups but this motion picture did not meet the standards of the productions that Luke Goss is usually associated with. The whole pace of the movie was horrible his mother who we know nothing about kicks the can in the first 30 seconds providing no sort of character development the boy meets characters and after a 1 minute conversation is willing to risk his life for them. The special effects were amateurish at best and the acting was no better. I hope this level of production doesn't continue for Luke it's really not a good look he should take a page from Nick Cage who doesn't do anymore blockbuster's but atleast his films are watchable.