As the actor’s resurgence continues, a recentNicolas Cagehit is finding a new streaming home. Even before landing his Oscar win forLeaving Las Vegas, the actor had made a name for himself in the ’80s with leading roles in everything from the teen romantic comedyValley Girlto the Coen brothers’Raising Arizona. He would solidify himself as a household name with his work in the action genre throughout the ’90s and 2000s, including Michael Bay’sThe Rock, John Woo’sFace/OffandtheNational Treasurefranchise.
For the majority of the 2010s, Cage infamously became better known for his work in critically panned direct-to-video movies, which he has since explained stemmed from encountering financial problems and taking on as many projects as possible to make up for it.He would begin to enjoy a career resurgence with the 2018 psychedelic horror movieMandyand the crime dramaPig, the latter of which he earned a lot of Oscar buzz for. This resurgence has continued with everything from the meta comedyThe Unbearable Weight of Massive Talentto therecord-setting horror-thrillerLonglegsin 2024.
Cage’s Arcadian Is Now Coming To Hulu In January
It Marks The Latest Shudder Movie To Join The Platform
Just before garnering acclaim for his turn as the titular serial killer inLonglegs, Cage had kicked off 2024 with the release of the post-apocalyptic action-horror movieArcadian. The Oscar winner starred as Paul, the father of teenage twin sons, Joseph and Thomas, who strives to keep his family safe and cared for after a pandemic wiped out the world along with the emergence of light-sensitive creatures. Also starringITalum Jaeden MartellandLost in Space’s Maxwell Jenkins,Arcadiangarnered generally positive reviews from critics, though a more mixed reception from viewers.
Nearly a year after the movie first hit select theaters,Huluhas announced thatArcadianwill be joining the streaming platform. The action-horror title will make its debut on the platform on January 24, which also comes a little over five months after the film first made its streaming premiere on Shudder. Interestingly, it also continues the trend of movies having debuted on the horror-focused streamer making their way to Hulu, with another notable recent example including the David Dastmalchian-ledLate Night with the Devil.
Why You Should Watch Arcadian
A Mostly Fresh Twist On The Quiet Place Formula
For those familiar with the recent post-apocalyptic horror genre,Arcadian’s plot may sound familiar, given it taps into many of the same elements ofthe hitQuiet Placefranchise, namely the core structure of a family surviving together on a rural farm. However,there are a variety of reasons why the movie has stood out against some of its genre compatriots, one of the more notable being the monsters themselves. Unlike the sound-hunting aliens inA Quiet Placeor sight-hunting entities inBird Box, the design ofArcadian’s creatures are quite menacing, while their origins are largely left a mystery.
Arcadian Ending Explained
Arcadian’s ending aims to take out the creatures that are central to the story. We break down the biggest aspects of the film’s ending & its meaning.
The other major reason whyArcadianis worth visitingas it comes to Hulu is Cage himself. It should be noted he’s not nearly as big of a part of the film as his lead acting credit would insinuate, but unlike many of his other genre efforts,he brings a refreshingly subdued approach to his role as the family’s patriarch that makes it all the more effective. Additionally, with the movie having only been available to stream on Shudder before, fans of the Oscar winner are sure to want to tune in and see whether they agree with critics or audiences.
WhatScreenRantHas Said AboutArcadian:
Arcadiangets bloody and the violence — though thankfully not excessive — is effective, with Brewer actively employing jumpscares to ramp up the tension ….Arcadianmay falter in its story details, building some character tension that is never fully fleshed out, but it succeeds in creating a gripping, tense experience that is elevated by its disturbing creatures. —ArcadianReview
$1,008,715
78%
56%
Arcadian
Cast
Arcadian is a sci-fi thriller film by director Benjamin Brewer and released in 2024. Set after the events of a near-world ending event, Arcadian follows Paul and his twin sons as they battle against unseen forces from beyond the stars that look to destroy anything they lay eyes on.
