'Onslaught': A Bloody, '80s-Inspired Action Slasher

Adam Wingard's latest film, "Onslaught," is a 90-minute action slasher reminiscent of rediscovered '80s VHS tapes. The movie pays homage to John Carpenter, evident in its discordant electronic score and protagonist Celeste, a veteran portrayed by Adria Arjona, who evokes a female Snake Plissken. The film's antagonists are hulking, mute super soldiers, creations of a mad Nazi scientist funded by the U.S. military.

Celeste, a former Army sniper now working as a landlord, must protect her daughter Daisy from these genetically engineered threats. Arjona brings a compelling, exhausted attitude to the role, making her turn to 'mama bear' thoroughly enjoyable. The film's setup, however, is criticized for its ungainly structure and pacing, circling the drain for nearly an hour before the central home invasion shoot-out.

The narrative also follows Dr. Hans Kammler, the Nazi scientist behind the super soldier program, played by Dan Stevens. While Stevens excels as the villain, Kammler's campiness is noted as tonally out of place. Other supporting actors, including Rebecca Hall and Drew Starkey, are described as being stranded in sideplots that do little to enhance the film's mythology or central conflict.

Despite structural and political thinness, "Onslaught" succeeds in its action set pieces, with Wingard and cinematographer Oren Soffer presenting eligible yet unexpected action. The cinematography captures the desert's expanse, bathed in dark blues, firmly planting the film in its '80s inspirations. A late twist suggests a broader commentary on the military exploiting its soldiers, echoing themes of government betrayal.