Watch Captive State
- PG-13
- 2020
- 1 hr 50 min
-
6.0 (58,834)
Captive State is a science fiction thriller directed by Rupert Wyatt and written by Erica Beeney and Wyatt. The movie is set in a Chicago neighborhood ten years after an alien occupation known as "The Legislature" took over the world, and the story revolves around a group of people who are trying to overthrow the alien government. The film opens with a brief news clip explaining that ten years prior, an extraterrestrial race known as the "Legislators" made contact with Earth, and they quickly showed their advanced abilities to control humanity. A human politician, played by John Goodman, is seen appearing on television to claim that the government is working closely with the Legislators to build a better world, but it is quickly revealed that he is part of a group of collaborators who are supporting the aliens.
The bulk of the narrative takes place in one Chicago neighborhood, which has been designated a "Green Zone" by the occupying forces, where the population is kept under a strict watch by the Legislators and their human minions, while the rest of the city is in ruins. Gabriel, played by Ashton Sanders, is a young man who lost his parents during the alien invasion and now lives with his younger brother Rafe in a rundown apartment. His brother Rafe, played by Jonathan Majors, is a construction worker, and to make ends meet, Gabriel works for a local drug dealer, Jurgis, played by Machine Gun Kelly.
Throughout the film, there are flashbacks that show the backstory of Gabriel and Rafe's family and their connection to the resistance movement. Gabriel's father was a part of the resistance and died in a bombing that was carried out by the aliens. Gabriel's mother was a nurse and worked to help those who were injured during the resistance's operations. Gabriel and Rafe's Uncle Morgan, played by Colson Baker, was also a part of the resistance but stopped participating after the bombing that killed Gabriel's father.
The story follows Gabriel and Rafe as they get involved with the resistance and try to overthrow the alien government, and it also focus on William Mulligan, played by John Goodman, a Chicago police detective who works for the collaborators. Mulligan has been assigned to hunt down the resistance, but as he gets closer to Gabriel and Rafe, he starts to question whether he is working for the right side.
The film has a lot of action scenes as the resistance carrying out operations to sabotage the aliens' plans, and there are several moments where the tension is high as the audience is left wondering whether the resistance members will be able to accomplish their goals or whether they will be caught. There are also several scenes that show the brutal methods used by the aliens to keep the population in check, such as the use of drones to carry out summary executions and the implantation of tracking devices in human bodies.
Captive State has a strong political undercurrent, exploring themes of resistance, collaboration, and control. It also raises questions about the nature of government and the use of fear by those in power to hold on to their positions. Overall, the film is tense, engaging, and thought-provoking, and it offers a fresh take on the alien invasion genre by focusing more on the human struggle and less on the aliens themselves.