The Remaining starts off with a decent setup, introducing its characters with a handheld camera style that gives it a sense of immediacy. Unfortunately, that's about where the good parts end. The plot quickly falls apart, with pacing that feels inconsistent and a script that relies too much on clichés. The movie never really builds tension, and instead of diving into the weight of its concept, it leans on surface-level drama without much depth. The directing feels amateurish, especially with the way scenes abruptly cut with no proper transition, making it feel more like a rough edit than a finished film.
Visually, the choice of a full-frame camera works against the movie's intended disaster and apocalyptic tone, making everything look too polished when it should feel gritty. The overuse of shaky cam doesn't add intensity, it just makes the scenes hard to watch. The acting is passable, but the characters are one-dimensional, with dialogue that feels forced and unnatural. The score doesn’t do much to enhance the atmosphere, and the sound design, while functional, never elevates the tension. By the end, the movie just feels like wasted potential, dragging itself to a finish with nothing memorable to take away.
