Reviews
Local Reviews
“The film’s twisted, mind-bending journey really leads viewers back to themselves, and to what they would do if they were in Diane’s bloody shoes.”
-Karla Peterson, The San Diego Union-Tribune
“A disturbing black-and-white project featuring veteran actor Nick Young as a half-crazed, cigar-chomping General Gore. He’s balanced — or put off balance — by Alexandra Slade, who portrays millennial filmmaker Diane Keaton. Young is white and Slade is black, which offers potential for sexual and racial tension. […] A more basic conflict is explored: sanity vs. insanity.”
-Ken Stone, Times of San Diego
“Captures the sense of isolation once thought to only exist in movies […] echoing a disturbing truth currently plaguing our nation today with a dark and intriguing twist.”
Brian Robertson, The Vista Press
Global Reviews
“Shares a persistent dread and discomfort, […] rolling out situations that provide only fragments of the broader meaning. It’s crafted for those who appreciate what they do not see as much as what is revealed, and those who are more interested in looking at the apocalypse’s effect on the psyche rather than the zombie hordes that follow.”
Rob Rector, Film Threat
“An odd, interesting little movie that defies easy categorization […] presenting some thoughtful takes on identity, individualism and reconciling divergent world-views. And in an era as divisive as the one we currently live in, that makes Friend of the World as relevant as ever.”
-Mark H. Harris, Black Horror Movies
“The only memory or proof of life before the apocalypse is visually different than the current situation and I love that message. It is warm and inviting and so different from the apocalyptic world these characters find themselves in. That juxtaposition sends a message that rings painfully true with humanity right now, making the film more relevant than ever.”
Lindsey Ungerman, HorrorBuzz
“With engaging production design and performances, […] Nick Young and Alexandra Slade bring their characters to life with charisma and acerbic tension. […] Presentation-wise Friend of the World has its gripping moments, with the ‘zombies’ of the film’s method of infection being disturbing and effective.”
-Corey Bulloch, UK Film Review
“A perpetual grey zone caught between salvation and destruction, lightness and horror. […] The end of the world has never felt more bizarre, […] its crackling black-and-white images, acute body horror and existential conversations, maintain a captivating effect. This is how you take on a genre that has been done to death.”
-Redmond Bacon, Tilt Magazine
“Its nightmarish and claustrophobic setting will have viewers on edge while the performances […] keep you invested.”
Jeremie Sabourin, Cinema Smack
“It’s a fascinating coincidence that the topic and intentions […] have only become more relevant in a pandemic, […] having two opposite personality types from different generations having to work together […] and tell a more character driven apocalyptic story pulling elements from a modern America.”
-Rebecca Cherry, Film Carnage
“A piece of art that is very much of this moment. […] Racial/cultural disparity, isolation, and paranoia feels almost painfully prescient […] Really taps into the surreal horror that we are experiencing in the world at large right now.”
Corin Totin, Sick Flix
“A strangely surreal piece, with a nonlinear plot accentuated with bizarre visuals and dialogue.”
Jim Morazzini, Voices From The Balcony
“The environment is filled with terror […] a dark twist on the end of the world.”
-Darren Lucas, Movies Review 101
“A hugely enjoyable slice of thoughtful science fiction.”
Stuart Anderson, 5D Blog
