I saw this movie last night on cable TV (FIOS, actually) and only kept watching it because I recognized a few of the actors. After reading the other reviews and thinking it through myself, I can offer you a synthesized explanation for the plot elements and storyline: 1) Almost everybody disappears from the local community - but not a few ruffians in town.
2) There is evidence they disappeared left quickly (half-eaten cookie & coffee in the police station at the dispatcher's seat) 3) It happened during a big storm - which adds to the mystery. Family dog disappeared (doesn't come back) during storm. Power is out, house is cold. After several days, food is low forcing trip to (semi) deserted local town for food - allowing for evidence of disappearance to be seen and for ruffians to attack. Storyline family and Luke Perry flee town after Luke helps defend husband from ruffians.
4) Luke Perry originally showed up at (the storyline family's) farm during the storm and gets invited (mostly by wife) to stay with our storyline family after it's over.
5) The husband of the family, Steve Bacic, may or may not be the best husband (some rude drinking).
7) Lauren Holly (the wife) may or may not be a semi-bored, randy farm wife who's flattered by the attention from Luke at more than one point.
8) In the TV version I saw, we get to see some cleavage and she's in her panties in the bathroom with Luke at one point. And while refilling the tub for Luke, his junk may have been visible to her, but she's not shy about staying there to talk.
9) If you search online, you'll find out that a side-view of her breast was in the DVD version (while Lauren and hubby were doing it) in one scene.
10) Luke has a Bible verse tattoo on his arm and mumbles Bible talk from time to time.
11) Later on, we find out that Luke killed people at that farmhouse 20 years before (his father being one) - at the time, it was his family's house.
12) We get a few clues during the movie that this might be the end of the world.
13) Luke desires Holly and makes a violent play for her - just as the husband comes back from a trip to town (injured and in a weakened state).
14) Family son rescues father from Luke's attempted hanging, which sets in motion final battle scene where Luke is killed.
15) Stars vanish from night sky - world ends.
OK, here's my synthesized storyline for you: Luke is The Prodigal Son who comes home. The family is his symbolic family and he's got Oedipal lust for the wife. The wife is sort of randy and might be unfaithful in her heart (just like mankind is unfaithful in our hearts to God, so too might she be to her husband).
So then, Luke is the sin of man, let loose in real form to illustrate that at the end of the world, only those whose hearts are right with God get raptured.
The Rapture is why most people disappeared, leaving ruffians in town and a sin-tinged farm family for the plot.
The husband has sin because of booze and attitude, the kid because he's a mouth-off, the wife because she accepts intimate flattery from Luke.
Luke is sin personified and when the family overcomes him (by resisting and fighting back), the world ends for them because they too are raptured.
The movie is better than sleeping pills because it's non-chemical. But the effect is the same: you sleep well afterward.
There are no hidden plot messages or twists to think about after it's over, so your mind switches right to sleep mode and you get a nice rest.
For late night TV fare, I'd give it a 5 (of 10)
2) There is evidence they disappeared left quickly (half-eaten cookie & coffee in the police station at the dispatcher's seat) 3) It happened during a big storm - which adds to the mystery. Family dog disappeared (doesn't come back) during storm. Power is out, house is cold. After several days, food is low forcing trip to (semi) deserted local town for food - allowing for evidence of disappearance to be seen and for ruffians to attack. Storyline family and Luke Perry flee town after Luke helps defend husband from ruffians.
4) Luke Perry originally showed up at (the storyline family's) farm during the storm and gets invited (mostly by wife) to stay with our storyline family after it's over.
5) The husband of the family, Steve Bacic, may or may not be the best husband (some rude drinking).
7) Lauren Holly (the wife) may or may not be a semi-bored, randy farm wife who's flattered by the attention from Luke at more than one point.
8) In the TV version I saw, we get to see some cleavage and she's in her panties in the bathroom with Luke at one point. And while refilling the tub for Luke, his junk may have been visible to her, but she's not shy about staying there to talk.
9) If you search online, you'll find out that a side-view of her breast was in the DVD version (while Lauren and hubby were doing it) in one scene.
10) Luke has a Bible verse tattoo on his arm and mumbles Bible talk from time to time.
11) Later on, we find out that Luke killed people at that farmhouse 20 years before (his father being one) - at the time, it was his family's house.
12) We get a few clues during the movie that this might be the end of the world.
13) Luke desires Holly and makes a violent play for her - just as the husband comes back from a trip to town (injured and in a weakened state).
14) Family son rescues father from Luke's attempted hanging, which sets in motion final battle scene where Luke is killed.
15) Stars vanish from night sky - world ends.
OK, here's my synthesized storyline for you: Luke is The Prodigal Son who comes home. The family is his symbolic family and he's got Oedipal lust for the wife. The wife is sort of randy and might be unfaithful in her heart (just like mankind is unfaithful in our hearts to God, so too might she be to her husband).
So then, Luke is the sin of man, let loose in real form to illustrate that at the end of the world, only those whose hearts are right with God get raptured.
The Rapture is why most people disappeared, leaving ruffians in town and a sin-tinged farm family for the plot.
The husband has sin because of booze and attitude, the kid because he's a mouth-off, the wife because she accepts intimate flattery from Luke.
Luke is sin personified and when the family overcomes him (by resisting and fighting back), the world ends for them because they too are raptured.
The movie is better than sleeping pills because it's non-chemical. But the effect is the same: you sleep well afterward.
There are no hidden plot messages or twists to think about after it's over, so your mind switches right to sleep mode and you get a nice rest.
For late night TV fare, I'd give it a 5 (of 10)