Summary
Extinction is a 2018 Sci-Fi thriller film directed by Ben Young, who is known for his work on Hounds of Love. The film covers the peculiar and eerie journey of Peter, an engineer who suffers from nightmares of an alien invasion. In his nightmarish dreams, he witnesses apocalyptic realities where he struggles to defend his family from a perilous, unknown creature. Initially, he assumes it stems from anxiety or stress, but the boundary between reality and dreams seems to intertwine is on the horizon.
Peter is devoted to his wife Alice, and has two daughters, Hanna and Lucy. His dreams interfere with his professional and personal life, and soon his wife as well as his co-workers become concerned. Peter interacts with a colleague at his workplace who confides in him about sharing dreams similar to his, implying these visions might not be random nightmares after all. Such discussions only heighten Peter’s paranoia but does not garner much support from others who consider his fears to be devoid of a rational base.
Everything played out as one of Peter’s nightmares when advanced aliens attacked Earth. Peter’s predictions came true when a fragment of the city was brutally attacked. Earth was literally under siege. Due to this, Peter and his family have no other option but to defend themselves in the storm of violence which ensues. The family is forced to escape from their building to step outside and defend themselves against the machines which will not stop.
Peter has shown the ability to fight structural warfare and strategy in addition to street brawling while in a city in destruction, something he never expected. In the end, the family gets caught by an alien called Miles. Miles, instead of being violent, starts dealing with them in an overly civil way. The confrontation with Miles that Peter has sheds some light onto things.
These advanced life forms which proposed to be at war and capturing Earth are not what they seem. Prepare yourself as I unveil perhaps the biggest surprise of the century, at least for those who adore the world of science fiction. This is what humanity becomes if they lose the war to synthetics. Peter and his family, much as they look, are not humans. They are the real deal – stunning androids which are meticulously designed and built to look identical to a human.
Peter’s nightmares are shown to be repressed memories from the previous war, since the synthetics had their memories purged to ease integration into peaceful societies after the war. Miles, the human soldier, comes to feel some empathy for Peter and his family, realizing that not all synthetics pose a danger. The movie concludes with Peter fully remembering his past and getting ready to defend his family and community from the persistent danger of human hostility.
Cast & Crew
Extinction features a cast with Michael Peña as Peter. Peña brings emotional nuance to Peter, a role he plays in Ant-Man, End of Watch, and Crash, showcasing the character’s journey from a lost father to a resolved leader.
Alice, Peter’s wife, is portrayed by Lizzy Caplan. Caplan is known for her performances in Masters of Sex and Cloverfield, and here she aptly portrays the shocking resilient partner Protective Mother who learns about shocking truths regarding her identity and family.
Hannah and Lucy, daughters of Peter and Alice, are depicted by Amelia Crouch and Erica Tremblay, who serve as the emotional focal point of the story’s conflict.
Mike Colter features as David, Peter’s co-worker and confidant with troubling visions akin to Peter’s, in Luke Cage. Miles, the human soldier with complicated relationships with the synthetic family, is played by Israel Broussard of Happy Death Day fame. Miles challenges the traditional boundaries of human versus machine.
Like Ben Young, whom we’ve mentioned before, an Australian filmmaker, directs the film, bringing a sci-fi action narrative with measured pacing and psychological focus. The screenplay is written by Spencer Cohen and later revised by Eric Heisserer, known for the emotionally dramatic sci-fi film Arrival. He, along with Cohen’s joint effort, strengthens Extinction’s empathetic and cerebral plot twists and intense action sequences.\
Film Reviews
As of 2025, Extinction has received a score of 5.8/10 on IMDb. The feedback has been mixed, capturing both the strengths and weaknesses of the film.
Critics highlighted the film’s concept and twist as some of the most creative aspects of the story while praising the subversion of the typical alien invasion story. The invaders being humans and the protagonists growing up as synthetics poses a moral dilemmas, especially for action-centric sci-fi cinema. It reshapes the plot entirely and provokes the viewers thought’s like the classics of the genre such as Blade Runner or The Matrix.
Not all feedback was constructive. Some criticized the pacing of the movie’s first portion because it relies heavily on action-less character building and dreams. Others believed the stakes lacked emotional depth and that a stronger examination of the identity of a synthetic being and erasure of memories could have been more profound.
Though critiqued, everyone seemed to unanimously agree that the film was an ambitious attempt at trying to deliver more than mere sci-fi material to audiences. The acting, along with Peña and Caplan’s, was greatly appreciated in light of the film trying to set itself in the future, and so building emotionally relatable human characters. The special effects and cinematography were also met with curt praise, especially with regard to the film’s budget issues.
Conclusion:
Meaningfully blending action and philosophy, Extinction uniquely contemplates science fiction. The film deeply examines the reality of identity, self-perception, and memory as its protagonist comes to terms with the fact that his existence—and essence—has been entirely fabricated. Although it may not achieve the critical reception of other sci-fi blockbusters, Extinction appreciates narrative boldness and originality, embodying strong performances throughout.
While some audiences argue it is the most democratic approach to science fiction to come in years, there are others that say it is a mess. It indisputably lacks critical acclaim, yet there are theater-goers drawn toward its peculiar amalgam of deep exploration and frantic futurism. For those interested in the marriage of nuanced storytelling and high-concept sci-fi action, Extinction presents an intriguing, albeit flawed opportunity.
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