Desert Son

2010
4.9| 1h34m| PG-13| en
Details

After being abandoned in the desert by his abusive stepfather, Phillip finds himself cruelly cast into a game of life or death until a beautiful orphan named Lucy and her boyfriend Jack come to his rescue. The three runaways patrol the desert and live as petty thieves, but they soon find that the fight for survival against nature may become a fight for survival against each other.

Director

Producted By

Aurora Features

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Also starring Nathan Halliday

Reviews

Inadvands Boring, over-political, tech fuzed mess
Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%
Sammy-Jo Cervantes There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.
Asad Almond A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.
mgold-8 I have to ask these questions because I don't understand how anyone could have read this script or seen this movie and not wondered about these things.1) If I were planning to rob a house with my 2 cohorts, the 3 of us would certainly not just leave our bikes lying (or standing) in the driveway of the house we were robbing. Nor would be throw them down in the street in the front of the house we were about to rob. There were obviously neighbors; someone would notice the bikes and wonder what was going on.2) How is it that Phillip and Jack and the girl were able to bike to this suburban neighborhood, and back to their "home" in the middle of nowhere, and never even break a sweat. How did they transport the things they stole, when all they had was bicycles? 3) In the second robbery, where Jack hacks up the housekeeper, how could they not have known that someone was home - the garage door of the house was open. Obviously this means someone's home, and likely will be returning to the garage very soon. People don't leave their house, and leave the garage door wide open while they're away. So of course they were going to encounter at least one person in that house. Why not simply choose a different house? 4) Towards the end, when Jack tells Phillip to "just go" and explains that civilization is just over on the other side of "those mountains" -- well, they were just in "civilization" committing acts of robbery earlier that day. Or maybe it was the day before. Either way, did Phillip already forget which way they rode, when they found civilization in the form of the suburban neighborhood? Also, why would Phillip just walk away on foot when he knows where the bikes are, and could have easily taken one.I don't see how it's possible to watch this movie and not wonder about these glaring issues. To me, these things ruined what otherwise might have been a decent film. It had great atmosphere and seemed so promising for the first half of the movie. Unfortunately, the fact that Jack devolved in to a one-dimensional nut job, combined with these ridiculous lapses in logic mentioned above, made me come away from this film feeling like I wasted an hour and a half of my life. Hardly the end of the world. It just seems like with a little more thought and effort, Desert Son could have been a whole lot better than it was.
Johnny_Hing The setting was unique, I'll give it that much. 2 runaways and an abandoned kid struggling to survive in a dilapidated shack somewhere out in the desert. Phillip is the new arrival, having been booted out of the car in the middle of nowhere by his step-Dad with no reason given other than possibly being spoiled, on his way to or from tennis camp.He meets up with Lucy and Jack, an odd couple for sure. Lucy is an orphan with a troubled past, but seems kind and good-natured. Jack is narcissistic and a bully, with a non-stop angry barrage of boring, obscene expletives directed Phillip's way. We see a scene fairly early on with the 3 of them sitting at the table eating rabbit, and Phillip impresses with a magic trick. Perhaps the beginning of a friendship? Or at least a common bond of survival for fellow outcasts? We can only wish.The story goes downhill from there, with Jack morphing into a senseless, cold-blooded killer. Phillip has several opportunities to leave, but chooses not to. He seems resigned to living in the desert, and all because his step-Dad is a jerk?? Phone your Mom, Phil! He also seems rather witless and unresourceful. Whenever Jack asks him a question, Phillip has no reply. Intimidated perhaps, but hey Phil... say something, would you please??!!! Darn. It's your survival we're talking about here, buddy! Lucy and Phillip begin to grow close when Jack becomes unbearable for the both of them. Perhaps there will be some redeeming quality to the movie after all? Maybe they'll fall in love and Phillip will rescue Lucy from her sorry lot in life and take her back to civilization? Sadly, no. The conclusion to this movie resolves nothing. What was the message or intent of this movie? That there is no hope? That life has no meaning, and you might as well give up? To be a moronic simpleton when the going gets tough? Entertaining for the setting (mood, atmosphere, scenery) alone, as well as the possibilities that might have unfolded. But otherwise, a pretty big letdown for the second half of the movie.
lilysorrow Phillip was the most annoying protagonist I have ever witnessed in a movie. Not only was the dialogue obnoxious, but the characters were too. Phillip couldn't grow a set the entire movie and came out learning nothing and being weak. Jack slowly slipped into a maniac character who went on a killing spree. He ended up killing a Maid, Lucy, the Priest, but not Phillip. Lucy and Phillip just stood around coaxing him not to do it. No one stood up to him they just went along reluctantly. At the end when Phillip for a few seconds grows a pair of testicles he and Lucy escape by stabbing Jack. However, Phillip doesn't finish the job and the maniac goes back after them wounded. After a split second kiss between Lucy and Phillip, Jack comes back to the scene and calls for Lucy. Like a moron she goes out to meet Jack, Phillip doesn't stop her. He just lets her walk to her death. At the end Phillip is the only survivor, or assumed survivor because we assume Jack bleeds to death. Terrible movie overall that was unfulfillable to the watcher and the protagonist underwent no change at all. It didn't even resolve the issue between his father who kicked him out in the middle of nowhere to begin with. What about the cops and the death of the Maid? The bodies of everyone? Don't waste your time. This had potential but quickly fizzled.
Pepper Anne 'Desert Son' seemed like a movie with an idea, but not much is there to back it up. It was intended to be a thriller, I suppose, but the audience is supposed to rely on much of what the filmmakers give, without much explanation as to why. Everything just seems to happen.The story begins with teenage Phillip being abandoned by his vindictive stepfather in the middle of the desert. Eventually, he's discovered by Lucy, a teenage runaway who shares an abandoned house with another runaway, Jack.Even with unconvincing storytelling, this movie would have been far more tolerable had Jack not been the most annoying character in the history of film. Without explanation, he loathes the world, including at times, Lucy. Naturally, he's not very welcoming when Phillip shows up.Still, having nowhere else to go Phillip is permitted to stay (very much to Jack's chagrin), permitting that he learns and helps in their methods for survival. And then somewhere along the way, Jack, as God's gift to humanity, goes on a sudden killing spree. Luckily, Lucy and Phillip are there by his side, yelling at him and not doing much else.Great acting! Great story! Great movie! .... NOT.