American Insurrection (2021) Film Review

American Insurrection is one of those films that automatically drives you to think “why didn’t I think of this premise before?”. Its setting is very effective, it’s extremely relevant considering our actuality, and stories derive organically from it. 

But the screenwriters decide to add a dramatic layer that has little to do with the possible insight a conversation about the film will contain. It’s exactly how a film of this nature should be done. There’s a human story beyond the discussion of American Insurrection’s premise, and regardless of what you may think about the decisions of some characters, you can’t question what happens in American Insurrection. The inevitability of desperate acts is the perfect ammunition for a resolution as chaotic as the one the movie has.

But first things first. 

American Insurrection is set on a dystopian society. Or perhaps not so much. In the United States, a political leader has recruited followers and formed a militia. Their beliefs are extreme. Everyone who’s not straight, white, or Christian, can be hunted. 

In a remote house near the border of Canada, a group has decided to stay put and wait for indications so that they can run away. They stay hidden because some of them are “branded” as they don’t comply with the dogma of Volunteers, the group in charge of hunting down and exterminating everyone who’s different. 

When they rescue a young man from an attack, they have to change their plans. They can’t keep waiting for the coordinates. 

The personalities in the group are thoroughly deconstructed in the second act. Everyone seems to have a different agenda in the middle of the crisis. However, a more intimate exploration of characters allows us to see the truth in some of them. Trauma and repression are part of the personalities that end up clashing and sparking a great third act. It’s an exercise in tension that’s seldom seen in indie cinema. The unexpected occurs. Realism sets in. American Insurrection becomes a grounded film that takes in a setting that’s fictional but possible. 

This is the reason why American Insurrection’s effect is so remarkable from the very beginning. We fear the possibility of this taking place in our current reality because freedom of speech, as fantastic as it is, has been mistaken for hate speech. We can’t unsee the similarities between Volunteers and MAGA radicalists during the pinnacle of Trump’s run. Sure, the ending takes things into thriller territory when the tone shifts and the pace goes up. Nevertheless, the discomfort is there. 

American Insurrection is very well made and performed. Every actor in the film is neatly directed by someone who understands the effect they’re looking for. Nadine Malouf shines in the main role; her character is a central piece in the film’s moral compass. Jarret Kerr is also fantastic in his role. The dynamics of the survivor group are very well portrayed in every scene they hold together. It’s essential for the film’s realism. These are regular people.

It’s not that American Insurrection is an important film because of the subject. It’s more than that. It’s how the subject isn’t derided as it could be with an exaggerated depiction of the “bad guys”. This is more about good versus evil in the face of absurdity. It’s about staying human until the very end, even if this means understanding some questionable acts that arise from desperation.

Federico Furzan

Film critic. Lover of all things horror. Member of the OFCS. RT Approved Critic.