I was surprised indeed by “The Divide” (2012) – a flawed post-apocalyptic  horror film that nevertheless has a hell of a lot going for it.  It’s a horrifying, brutal look at seven apartment building residents who survive a nuclear holocaust by sheltering together in the building’s basement.

Does that sound dark?  Because it’s a hell of a lot darker than you think it is.  This film is brutal and disturbing – even by the standards of the survival-horror sub-genre.

The script is flawed, but this movie still surprised me and held me in suspense.   You know it’s a worthwhile movie if you can’t stop watching it, even if the screenwriting isn’t perfect.  That’s partly due to a great cast – with terrific performances by Michael Biehn, Courtney Vance, Lauren German, Milo Ventimiglia,  Ashton Holmes, Rosanna Arquette and Ivan Gonzalez.

Despite the good acting all around, the runaway performance was Michael Eklund as Bobby.  This guy is an incredibly talented actor.  He nailed the role of a survivor who descends quickly into madness and depravity, and was probably the best thing about this movie.  His performance actually reminded me a hell of a lot of Buffalo Bill in “Silence of the Lambs.”  That kid was amazing and terrifying.  (I don’t think what I’m writing here is a spoiler; everyone knows the premise of the movie, and Bobby is recognized almost immediately as an erratic personality.)

This movie reminded me just a little of the superb BBC docudrama, “Threads” (1984), which was an equally brutal look at the aftermath of a nuclear war – far more so than the inferior American “The Day After,” which made headlines a year earlier.  (And doesn’t everyone in my age bracket remember that?)

The special effects budget is limited.  But the final shot of the movie is fantastic.

Again … this is not a feel-good film, even when compared with other movies like this.  This movie was written by people who have absolutely no faith in human nature.  The final choice by one character is pretty sad evidence of that.  What the character does seems inexplicable at first, but then makes perfect sense when you think about it.  And it’s pretty depressing.

I’d give this movie an 8 out of 10.