Awake : Comparisons to post-apocalyptic hits like A Quiet Place and Bird Box are inevitable when discussing Awake, as it seems to borrow heavily from their formulas, substituting insomnia for terrifying creatures. The film’s cinematography, with its cold blues and dark greys, also echoes the visual tone of its predecessors. However, despite having a promising premise and following a familiar blueprint, Awake falls short.
Release Date 9 June 2021 Language English Genre Action, Adventure, Drama Duration 1h 36min Cast Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Barry Pepper, Finn Jones Director Mark Raso Writer Mark Raso Cinematography Alan Poon Music Salim–Sulaiman Producer Joseph Raso Production Entertainment One, Paul Schiff Productions Certificate 16+
One of the film’s shortcomings is its lack of the atmospheric eeriness that characterized recent dystopian films, relying instead on sporadic jump scares. While the concept of prolonged sleep deprivation and its consequences is intriguing, especially for those familiar with sleep experiments, the horrors fail to translate effectively on screen. Watching sleep-deprived individuals descend into madness becomes repetitive and tedious.
The story revolves around Jill (played by Gina Rodriguez), a security personnel and single mother with a troubled past. After a car accident, Jill and her dysfunctional family find themselves in a world where all electronic devices are fried, and everyone is suffering from insomnia. As they embark on a journey to find a cure at a government facility, they encounter various challenges in a sleep-deprived and chaotic landscape.
One major flaw is the film’s rushed pacing, with characters quickly succumbing to extreme behaviors after just one or two sleepless nights. Society collapses rapidly, with minimal exploration of the psychological effects of sleep deprivation on humanity. Apart from Jill, her children, and a few other characters, most individuals seem to turn evil without much internal conflict.
Despite these shortcomings, Gina Rodriguez delivers a compelling performance, grounding her character in believability. Ariana Greenblatt also shines as Jill’s daughter. In a genre saturated with post-apocalyptic scenarios, Awake struggles to offer a fresh perspective, relying too heavily on familiar tropes. Ultimately, the film fails to deliver the shock and surprise expected, leaving viewers with unanswered questions and predictable twists.
