Rent The Last Survivors (2014)

Spoilers follow ... - The Last Survivors review by NP

Opening with a lengthy dialogue-free scene, Kendal (Haley Lu Richardson) appears to be the sole survivor of some apocalyptic occurrence that has left the world ravaged and arid. As it turns out, she is one of a handful of characters who are all trying to survive in their sun-stung waterless desert.

Kendal and her sick friend Dean (the wonderfully named Booboo Stewart) are attempting to protect their life-saving well from the wandering evil water baron Carson (Jon Gries) and his band of scavengers, who are attempting to secure all water-giving appliances as his own.

Despite a slow beginning, and the burning feeling that this might just be a catwalk teen-soap, this soon developed into something far more interesting. Richardson is convincing and appealing as Kendall, and even the young actor Max Charles, who could have been precocious as juvenile survivor Alby, is very good.

The finale plays out very much like a Western, with a well-staged showdown between various characters. The ending is low-key in a way that befits the story being told, and the stunning scenery, shot in California, is a double-edged sword: beautiful but deadly. Recommended.