TENT, THE

(director/writer: Kyle Couch; cinematographer: Robert Skates; editor: David Peterson; music: Pierre Vaucher; cast: Tim Kaiser (David), Timmy Kaiser (young David), Lulu Dahl (Mary), Kyle Couch (Gabriel), Christine Marie (Christine), Jeannine Thompson (Grace). Shelby Bradley (Anne); Runtime: 85; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Tim Kaiser; Gravitas Ventures; 2020)

“Its apocalyptic subject matter covers familiar territory.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A low-budget indie sci-fi thriller, directed by Kyle Couch (“Life Prescribed”), with many flashbacks and a dully written script by the director. It’s preachy and its apocalyptic subject matter covers familiar territory.

The world is facing an apocalyptic event known as The Crisis, caused probably by mysterious creatures. An embittered senior citizen, a loner, David (Tim Kaiser), stays alive using basic survival tactics. He finds refuge in the wilderness by living in a tent. In the woods he eventually meets the much younger Mary (Lulu Dahl)), another survivor.

After David is accidentally shot but not seriously hurt, he’s treated by Mary and warns her to immediately leave. Mary tries to get him to leave with her, telling him there’s strength in numbers and that there’s “more to life than living in a tent” (Heavy!). Mary also believes the tent is in a spot where the creatures dwell, those who might be responsible for The Crisis but who can’t be seen as they walk in the dark.

The story lags and becomes too talky, as it slowly builds on what action the two survivors take to continue surviving among these strange creatures. It concludes at last with a ‘big reveal’ that defines the creatures.

It doesn’t make it as a full-length feature, and would have been better served as a short.

REVIEWED ON 7/28/2020  GRADE: C+