"The Decline" (original French title: Jusquโau dรฉclin) is a Canadian survival-action film, released in 2020 and released on Netflix. This is Netflix's first work to co-produce entirely in French, clearly reflecting the culture and environment typical of the Quรฉbec region. With a duration of more than 80 minutes, the film offers a thrilling, suspenseful experience, while raising many questions about morality, survival and human limits when pushed to the limit.
The film tells the story of Antoine, an ordinary man who is always afraid of possible disasters such as environmental crises, war or epidemics. He decides to join a wilderness survival training course organized by Alain, a "prepper" (a person who prepares for the end of the world). The group of students consists of many people with different ideals, but all share a common concern about surviving when society collapses. However, after a sudden fatal accident during training, tensions escalate as everyone disagrees on how to handle it. From a simple survival course, everything quickly turns into a fierce confrontation between people.
"The Decline" is not only an action movie, but also has a very strong psychological color. The film deeply explores human nature when facing danger and fear, especially the moral decay in an environment without rules. Each character in the film reflects different extremes in the way of facing survival - some choose reason, some choose violence, and some are immersed in extremism.
Besides the tight script, the film also scores points thanks to the impressive cinematography, with snow-covered scenes creating a sense of isolation and tension. The actors' performances, although not outstanding, are genuine and suitable for the spirit of the film.
In short, The Decline is a must-see for those who love the survival genre mixed with psychological elements. The film is not only entertaining but also makes viewers reflect on humanity, instincts and the boundaries of morality when the world is no longer in order. This is a cold but necessary warning in the current unstable times.
