Adam Wingard returns to his trashy genre roots with ‘Onslaught’

Adam Wingard, known for his work in the major Hollywood studios, has returned to his low-budget, trashy roots with his latest film, Onslaught. The action thriller, released in Malaysian cinemas just as the summer season ended, proved to be a breath of fresh air after Wingard's stint with big-budget spectacles like Godzilla vs. Kong. Stripping away CGI and giant monsters, the film returns to Wingard's signature style of sturdy, efficient, and gory siege cinema, reminiscent of his early works You’re Next and The Guest.

Onslaught draws inspiration from Carpenter's films, Assault on Precinct 13 and Escape from New York, as well as James Cameron's The Terminator. The movie showcases a love letter to the 70s/80s genre, complete with an isolated setting, a ticking clock, and an unstoppable force relentlessly attacking the gates. Wingard excels at capturing that precise cadence of the genre, creating an atmosphere of dread and tension that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats.

Adria Arjona delivers a strong performance as Celeste, a former Army sniper trying to keep her life together. Her raw, grounded physicality brings every tactical maneuver and brutal exchange to life, making the audience feel the weight of the action. While Dan Stevens reprises his role as the villainous mastermind behind the super soldier project, his character brings a unique level of unhinged, gleeful madness that fans will enjoy.

However, the film's final stretch left some viewers underwhelmed. The final battle between Celeste and the last surviving super soldier, while intense, didn't quite match the epic scale and brutal difficulty that some fans might have expected from a true final boss fight. The scene may have been toned down due to extreme violence, but overall, Onslaught remains a solid piece of genre entertainment, particularly during its exciting buildup.