Anthony Mackie is currently lighting up the global box office as Cap in the latest Marvel flick, "Captain America: Brave New World." At the same time, the American actor is also storming up the streaming charts as his sci-fi action-thriller “Elevation” is currently the No. 1 most-watched movie on Max.
“Elevation” made its Max debut last week (on Friday, February 21), and over the weekend it quickly rose through the ranks to secure the top spot in Max’s top 10 list. This places the science-fiction movie above the Oscar-nominated animation “Flow” and the teary romance drama “We Live in Time.” Clearly, Max subscribers are in the mood for some exciting sci-fi action right now.
Set in a post-apocalyptic future where deadly creatures known as Reapers stalk the Earth, “Elevation” may sound a little bit like the Walmart-brand version of “A Quiet Place” but it’s earned pretty strong audience scores (even if the critics aren't quite so impressed). So, if you want to learn more about this sci-fi action-thriller before adding it to your watchlist, here’s the full scoop…
What is ‘Elevation’ about?
“Elevation” is set in a devastated near future following the emergence of mysterious predators known as Reapers. These lethal creatures have wiped out 95% of the planet’s population, and the remaining survivors live in small communities high in the mountains, as the Reapers cannot survive at a high elevation.
One of these survivor camps is the home of Will (Mackie), a single father who cares for his son Hunter (Danny Boyd Jr.). Needing precious medical supplies for Hunter, Will groups together with two women, a scientist, Nina (Morena Baccarin), and a fellow survivor Katie (Maddie Hasson), to venture down into Reaper territory to find these essential items with the clock ticking.
Leaving their safe haven behind, they face a perilous mission, as the Reaper threat proves more deadly than the trio could have anticipated. Along the way, they learn new secrets about the threat's origins and, most importantly, discover a way to fight back.
‘Elevation’ reviews — viewers and critics disagree
“Elevation” certainly isn’t a critical darling. The sci-fi movie currently holds a relatively weak 57% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s ‘Critics Consensus’ reads, “Beautiful scenery and a solid star turn from Anthony Mackie raise Elevation up to an extent, but this sci-fi thriller is too derivative to reach the peak of its potential.” This isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.
Brianna Zigler of AV Club labeled the movie “odd and impersonal” and criticized it for feeling “just as detached from its visual style as it does from its characters.” Natalia Winkelman of the New York Times was similarly critical suggesting that it’s got “nothing new to offer.”
But there have been some positive reviews from professional critics, too. Variety’s Dennis Harvey called it “polished and exciting enough” while noting it offers viewers an “entertaining hour and a half.” Meanwhile, Christy Lemire of FilmWeek said, “Everyone is solid in this and you see a lot of lovely aerial shots of the Rocky Mountains.” Which isn’t a bad selling point.
“Elevation” is the latest example of critics and viewers not seeing eye to eye. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie’s rating on the Popcornmeter (RT’s name for its viewer rating scale) is a comparatively strong 81%. Some recent audience reviews call “Elevation” a “solid war movie” and a “well-acted, entertaining and well-written film.” However, one viewer did point out the flick’s clear similarities with “A Quiet Place” and argued it doesn’t reach the same bar.
Should you stream ‘Elevation’ on Max?
If you’re looking to kick off your week with a jolt of excitement, “Elevation” is certainly not a bad pick. While it lacks the narrative chops of some of its contemporaries (namely “A Quiet Place”), Anthony Mackie makes for a suitable action-hero lead, and even when the narrative comes up short, you get the chance to marvel at some quite stunning and sweeping vistas.
It’s not surprising to see Max subscribers embrace “Elevation.” It’s got all the ingredients to be quite the hit on one of the best streaming services. It successfully brings big-screen blockbuster thrills to the platform. And at just 90 minutes long, it’s certainly not a big time investment. Plus, “Elevation” makes the wise decision to not overstay its initial welcome.
If you’re going to stream “Elevation” on Max this week (or for those in the U.K., it’s currently available on Prime Video), you’ll want to keep your expectations in check, but it still appears worth streaming. At the very least, it’s great to see Anthony Mackie being pushed further as a new leading action hero.
“Elevation” isn’t the only new addition to Max this month. Check out our roundup of everything new added to Max in February 2025 for an overview.
Stream "Elevation" on Max now
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