TL;DR – A descent into a world holding on by an edge, oh and mud, so much mud, you would not believe how much mud there is.

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was sent a screener of this film.

Year 10 Review –

One of the reasons that Post-Apocalyptic stories do so well is because they strip all vestiges of society from us and shine a light on who we are as a people. Sometimes, that light reveals a tenacity to overcome trials, a goodness that powers through no matter the situation, or it shows the base animals that we are. Today’s film very much leans on that last point as we get down and dirty in the mud of humanity.  

So, to set the scene, it has been ten years since civilization collapsed, and it has reached the point where people have resorted to cannibalism to survive. It is a dangerous world where packs of dogs roaming the countryside can be just as deadly as the people looking for one last scrap of food. When one single careless act leads a band of thugs back to their hiding place, Jake (Toby Goodger) is forced to take a trek across dangerous ground to get antibiotics for his Girl (Hannah Khalique-Brown), the last person he has left in his life.

What Year 10 did very well was set the mood and tone for the film. Those opening minutes in silence leading up to the attack told you everything that you needed to know about the world and the dangers that could be found there. Any noise could lure people that you don’t want towards you. Add to that some good location work, some sullen strings, and a very desaturated film pallet, and you have the foundation for an exciting work. It was also interesting watching Jake become everything he was fighting against as he treks through the mud of a collapsed society. Toby Goodger captures that pain quite well.  

However, while there are a lot of factors that help create the style this film is going for, these all have a shelf life, and it is not the end of the film. You can make a film without any dialogue; Robot Dreams showed us that last year. But there is a real intentionality that you need to stop it from becoming drab. Unfortunately, here we are at a heightened point of stress from the moment of the first attack, and it never lets down. That constant heartbeat pounding works until you start becoming numb to it. It also led to the final feeling more tacked on than part of a whole.  

In the end, do we recommend Year 10? While it started strong, and it was interesting to watch all the cinematic influences play out in this new context. Structurally, I think this might have been stronger as a short film, but the action does make up for that. Have you watched Year 10? Let us know what you thought in the comments below.If you liked Year 10, we would recommend to you A Quiet Place: Day One.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Year 10
Directed by – Benjamin Goodger
Written by – Benjamin Goodger
Music by – Mario Grigorov & Matt Hill
Cinematography by – Charlie Goodger
Edited by – Benjamin Goodger
Production/Distribution Companies – Archstone Entertainment, BK Studios & Eagle Entertainment
Starring – Toby Goodger, Hannah Khalique-Brown, Duncan Lacroix, Luke Massy, Emma Cole, Alexander Anderson, King Gayle, Jessica Zerlina-Leafe, Tom Gaskin, Joseph Coleman & Ellis Jones
Rating – Around an Australia: MA15+;