After 12 years of playing in other people’s I.P. sandboxes, Adam Wingard returns to his original filmmaking. It’s a welcome homecoming for a writer/director with the proven acumen for combining action, horror, and thrills in equal measure. As much fun as his Godzilla entries were, it’s safe to say that You’re Next or The Guest rank higher on people’s watchlists. In Onslaught, Simon Barrett and Wingard reunite for the first time since 2016’s Blair Witch to craft a story about genetically modified super soldiers who break out in the New Mexico desert. You see, Nazis have gained a foothold in the U.S. government, and they’re itching to test out their experiments on the American public. The credits clue the audience into the government’s history of utilizing fascists to promote national security interests.
It seems Nazi scientist Hans Kammler’s (Dan Stevens) many years of experimenting on soldiers has finally paid off. He strips the three super soldiers of their humanity, replacing bones with steel and adding cybernetic technology to help them hunt people down. Effectively, they’re “heat-seeking missiles.” Don’t expect much from Stevens’ evil scientist and Rebecca Hall’s Hanna Kammler. They make quite an impression in their limited screen time, but they disappear just as quickly. Their characters’ menace and insanity linger long afterward, though. They send their psychic representative, Cyrus (Drew Starkey), to cover up all traces of their handiwork. The hulking science experiments ominously named Crybaby, Cockroach, and The Butcher wander through the area, killing as many people as possible.
Unfortunately, the super soldiers are heading toward Celeste (Adria Arjona). But fortunately, Celeste used to be an Army sniper. After dealing with the many consequences of split-second decisions, she hides out in a mobile home park in New Mexico. PTSD affects nearly every aspect of her life, but somehow managing the trailer park provides a sense of peace. Even if she always keeps a stash of weapons just in case. Spending time with her daughter Daisy (Blake Kennedy) eases some of the pain, but their relationship is complicated. Daisy knows all too well her parents foibles and calls them out regularly. Celeste’s ex drops Daisy off at her doorstep for unscheduled visitation, freaking Celeste out, but her ex doesn’t have any other options. It’s just bad luck that Daisy winds up at Celeste’s trailer park when all hell breaks loose.
Thankfully, Wingard and Barrett don’t write Daisy like children in other action movies. She doesn’t wander into danger to move the plot forward. Arjona and Kennedy’s rapport is genuinely warm, which makes it that much more frightening when chaos unfolds around them. Celeste has to brush off her skills as an Army sniper if she wants to keep Daisy safe. Because the only thing standing between the mercenaries and us is a bunch of gritty, retired vets in a mobile home park.
Onslaught benefits from an ensemble made up of beloved character actors from Aliens and Die Hard. Neighbour and grizzled badass Josiah (Reginald VelJohnson) keeps to himself, but when the battle ends up on his front steps, he kicks into action. Whether it’s fan service or not, I love seeing VelJohnson back onscreen. And he’s a constant source of joy as the film rolls on. Likewise, Michael Biehn’s Baylor, a no-nonsense agency head, is an appreciated cameo.
Wingard presents the experimental beings as the ultimate killing machines. They don’t quip, banter, or speak. They mow down everything in front of them. Before Celeste and crew take on the super soldiers, their scenes are shot like a horror film. Darkly lit interiors, tense electronica blaring in the background; the super soldiers operate a lot like Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees, too. That said, Celeste, Kovacs (Eric Wareheim), and Josiah have a chance. The poor people just going about their business at gas stations and grocery stores are cut down with terrifying efficiency. It’s hard to watch, but Wingard wants it that way. A country that funds research into innovative ways to kill people will unfailingly use those findings on the populace.
Given the weighty themes of PTSD and exploitation of veterans, some might feel the film should treat the subjects more seriously. The same criticism was applied to They Live, but without the benefit of time, who knows how Onslaught will be judged. The presence of Arjona and VelJohnson’s characters buys a lot of goodwill, and overall, I think the critique is in the right place. Add in the inclusion of a delusional Nazi doctor, and it’s further proof not to take Onslaught too seriously.
Wingard clearly appreciates not having studio executives passing notes. There’s an S&M subplot in here that definitely would’ve died at Warner Bros. Discovery. He and partner-in-crime Barrett try to distill ALL ’80s action-ers into something more exploitative and not reliant on realistic action. At one point, Celeste ties a rag around her wounded eye and duels one of the super soldiers with a chainsaw. We’re not talking the gun-fu from John Wick here, either.
It’s speculated that Arjona will appear in Superman: Man of Tomorrow as Wonder Woman. If true, Onslaught was a great test run for her talents as a captivating action lead. She believably kicks ass and carries the film’s emotional heft. I can’t wait to see her appear next in Michael B. Jordan’s Thomas Crown Affair refresh.
Onslaught runs 92 minutes long and, helpfully for the impatient, it adds a title card counting down to the murder and mayhem. The sound editing drives the picture’s best beats, keeping the pace propulsive, and, if something doesn’t work, Wingard and Barrett move right past it.
Conversely, the filmmakers might’ve been too hasty in condensing the film’s running time. The climactic third act is underwhelming compared to the battles beforehand. Several plot threads are left unaddressed, further compounding the disjointedness. Letting several scenes breathe would make the shootouts and horror stand out a little more. But for a mean, muscular little thriller, Onslaught honours its influences from John Carpenter, Terminator, and other ’80s thrillers you’d rent on VHS.
