The end of the world is a massive and weighty topic that often yields movies of a similar scale - as seen in films like San Andreas.
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However, while the end of the world can clearly be fodder for epic movies, what happens when we explore apocalyptic stories at a micro level?
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Take Shelter does just that. The movie follows Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) as he starts to experience vivid dreams — or visions — about the end of the world.
As Curtis’ dreams become more intense, it takes a toll not only on him but his wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and their deaf daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart).
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Curtis’ obsession with his visions causes him to take out loans and risk his job to build a storm shelter. Everyone thinks he’s going crazy, doubting his apocalyptic warnings.
Underscored by the rising climate crisis, Take Shelter stirs the fears we may feel over our future on Earth and forces us to confront them.
The themes of nature and anxiety are at the crux of this very human story. Writer-director Jeff Nichols talks about how these themes make Take Shelter feel so unnerving.
“Nature is the best kind of villain since it has no malice, it simply is.”
Nothing feels more disturbing than seeing nature act out of turn, and Take Shelter is full of these moments. Watch it now on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu.