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"Elevation" Trailer Release: Anthony Mackie Thrills in Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Featuring Production Design by Bill Boes
September 27, 2024
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written by Ryan Northrup, ScreenRant

Elevation gets its first trailer, unveiling the new post-apocalyptic action film. Directed by George Nolfi, Elevation tells the story of a single father, played by Anthony Mackie, who embarks on a dangerous quest with two women, played by Morena Baccarin and Maddie Hasson, to save the life of a young boy. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting with a monster threat, and it marks Mackie's only major release before the arrival of Captain America: Brave New World next February.

Vertical now releases the first trailer for Elevation, teasing what's to come from the intense action thriller. The trailer sees Mackie's character caring for a sick boy in an area of the Rocky Mountains before venturing out across a boundary that demarcates where seemingly monster-dominated territory begins. Baccarin, who is best known for appearing in the Deadpool films as Vanessa, co-stars, with her character and Hasson's joining him on the mission. Check out the trailer below:

Mackie is best known for playing Sam Wilson in the MCU, but he hasn't yet anchored a successful movie inside or outside of this franchise. Captain America: Brave New World will be a major test in this regard, but there's already a built-in audience for that, since it's a Marvel film. Elevation, on the other hand, is an original idea, and how the film performs could end up being an interesting signal regarding how much of a draw he is for audiences.

From the trailer, Elevation has ingredients of both A Quiet Place (2018) and The Tomorrow War (2021), both of which were successful. It's not yet clear, however, whether the monsters in the film are aliens, such as in the above two movies, or if they somehow evolved or were created on Earth. The trailer confirms that they are fast and lethal, though, and the film's title and some trailer footage suggests that they could live – or have come from – underground.

Elevation's small cast and the sparing amount of screen time for the monsters could suggest that the film is operating on a somewhat limited budget, at least for a sci-fi action movie with CGI creatures. Such limitations sometimes breed more interesting storytelling and filmmaking, however, as directors need to get inventive with how they deliver thrills to audiences. The modestly-budgeted A Quiet Place, for example, was arguably more intense and compelling than The Tomorrow War, which was more of a blockbuster.

What will help set Elevation apart from its contemporaries is the human story and themes at the center of the post-apocalyptic monster action. From the trailer alone, it's difficult to tell whether the film will succeed on this level. At the very least, however, the film certainly looks to be offering up some thrilling sci-fi action. Elevation features production design from Bill Boes