2020 Directed by Brian Patrick Butler
After a catastrophic global war, a young filmmaker awakens in the carnage and seeks refuge in the only other survivor: an eccentric, ideologically opposed figure of the United States military. Together, they brave the toxic landscape in search of safety... and answers.
Amigo do mundo, Ami du monde, Freund der Welt, दुनिया का दोस्त, Amico del mondo, 世界の友, Amigo del mundo
Monsters, aliens, sci-fi and the apocalypse Horror, the undead and monster classics zombies, undead, horror, gory or flesh creature, aliens, monster, sci-fi or scary earth, sci-fi, space, spaceship or mankind horror, gory, scary, killing or gruesome future, sci-fi, technology, action or technological Show All…
Rec by Child of Chaos Daniel N. Butler
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Please don't make me do this again
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I'm sorry. Daniel N. Butler worked on the crew to this movie, and I always feel bad when I have to do this with one of my followers.
But I kinda hated this.
I admit it has a cool style, and at 50 minutes it does not overstay it's welcome. Also some of the body horror was nice
But my god, I just hated the leads. My least favorite part of horror is listen to 2 assholes bicker, and that is all this movie is. Our strawman military dude, and some annoying millennial film maker, and I know she is because he says…
I cannot accurately rate this film because I have participation bias - I am attached and my brother is the creator. However, I will mention what others have said about it.
After reviewing over 200 films, Video Librarian Magazine put it in their Top 15 Best Narrative Films of 2022 because of its dynamic performances and selective relevant topics.
I should point out many have made it clear: this is not a film for everyone. Some have admitted a rewatch or two helped them understand it better. If you enjoy the underground, arthouse and experimental films that make the most of their low budget, this is for you. If you enjoy a surreal environment and absurd theatrical performances, this is…
At a brisk fifty minutes and with what seems to be a budget smaller than the amount I spend on coffee every month, Friend of the World feels like a student or arthouse project.
Filmed in black and white and shot more like a stageplay than a conventional movie, writer/producer/director Brian Patrick Butler has created something both striking and likely to divide audiences. Billed as a black comedy, it's one where you're either going to enjoy the humour or you're not. You're either on board for the moments the film slides straight into surrealism or you're going to be turned off by them. So what is Friend of the World actually about? That's a harder question to answer than you…
A very bizarre ride of a movie. This dabbled into story structure similar to The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror though it worked on being its own thing. The dark comedic tone can often be a hit or miss for the viewer. Also the effects did some body horror aspects that could make you think about The Thing easily.
This did touch on some social stuff but nothing deep since this was driven to be a sci fi and comedy first. Overall this was a decent watch. You gotta love the low budget work on this and the love that was put into it. It won’t be a watch for everyone to enjoy I will admit. However with a 50 minute runtime, why not explore some time outside the norm.
*Read the full review on Cinema Smack *
Friend of the World certainly warrants a watch for sci-fi and horror fans alike. Its nightmarish and claustrophobic setting will have viewers on edge while the performances, especially from Nick Young, keep you invested. Though we knocked it a bit for maybe being too short and not developing a deeper story, this is a film and world that we want to see more of. How did things get to this point? What happened to General Gore and the rest of the people that must’ve been in this military bunker? Questions remain all over the place and there’s a lot to work with if Butler wanted to continue with additional installments.
Well it wasn't boring. The acting and production were quite solid for a micro-budget flick. The body horror particularly well done. The aim of the film seemed to be dark comedy in a post-apocalyptic landscape. The first problem with that was the comedy wasn't there. Mostly sexist remarks and a random fart joke. Second, the focus was all over the map. Interesting small segments, but not adding up well enough to a cohesive narrative.
I don't regret watching it, as I deep dive into a lot of weird simply because its tagged SF, but also wouldn't dare recommend it to anyone.
Strange and surreal in a unique way. The two characters are wonderful and memorable. Some shots reminded me of Dr Strangelove.
Unfortunately sometimes it feels a little too pretentious.
We should never punish a film for having ambition; the ambition here is commendable. It's just that it's part claustrophobic character study, part ragtag arthouse experiment, with blaring music and fart sounds to boot. What can audiences make of this?
At one point one of the characters, Gore, declares to the other key character, Keaton, "Your film sucked - in a beautiful way". Sure, this might well be a self-referential line, one intended to pre-empt criticism of Friend of the World, but if there is an element of heading off criticism at the pass here, then perhaps there's also a sense that this film may not work fully well on its own merits. It badly needed to commit to something - oddness, aesthetics, or plot. A film cannot, after all, simply turn out to be an essay about film.
Admirably amateurish but for every strength there is a weakness. Diane is too much of a blank slate while General Gore is far too cartoonish for me to enjoy their chemistry or lack thereof. As much as I love the cinematography and the bizarre sequences, I also feel underwhelmed by the undeveloped storyline. Feels like the film is close to coming together but at no point does that ever occur. If for nothing else, it's an interesting watch especially if you like creative student films.
