The climate is ripe for elections on this planet so it was likely the voting booths would open with writer-director James Eaves The Apocalypse Box. Societies are filled with contentious elections. Political confusion and rioting over reforms in both France and the UK where this picture is from creates the background for a political thriller with horror elements.
The opening credits are a montage of key political events such as World Wars, the rise of regimes and catastrophic events. At the outset, two armed men kill an elderly antique dealer who has a resemblance to the late Maggie Smith. Their quest is to obtain a box shaped like an old ballot box, which is hidden behind a curtain, and its significance is revealed later in the film. The gunmen try to make her death look like a suicide.
“…the box could contain either their fondest wish or visit unspecified consequences…”
It’s the night before the election in the UK, Piers Stonesmith (Tom Butcher) is making a final campaignpush for the office of Prime Minister. Stonesmith is running on the all-too-true slogan “Keep Britain British” his party is behind by eight points in the polls. He is determined, like certain real politicians, to make up the difference at any cost and take the keys to “Number ten.”
His PR person Ella (Lola Szczotarska) is trying to do her best with the situation. Stonesmith threatens her with her job unless this situation is remedied in one night. He has an entourage, such as MP Matt Harris (Chris Ryle Wright), who does his bidding for a potential high-profile posting in the cabinet. Stonesmith’s wife Helena (Corrinne Wicks), who has a resemblance to briefly seated (kind of me to say) UK PM Liz Truss, is trying to do her best smile and gets slagged in a tabloid site as “Chinzilla.” She is well-meaning but awkward. Her husband perceives her as the weak link since no one likes her. To remedy this, Ella and Stonesmith have gathered a last-ditch focus group to push him over the top
The random group is made up of prejudiced working-class widower Cyrill (Russell Biles), Online reporter/influencer Jake (Ray Calleja), Doctor of Medicine Khara (Aryana Neo), jaded millennial Tim (Jack Marriner-Brown, and naïve pensioner Doreen (Chrissie Derrington). Taken to a remote Government location, they find themselves, along with Helena and Ella, locked in a room with a box and several keys that they are told could either unlock their fondest wish or visit unspecified consequences. Stonesmith and ruthless MP Caroline Wickford ( Lori Brett) watch the proceeding on camera. Each time a key is turned a news presenter (Sylvester McCoy, who has grown to resemble Winston Churchill) appears on TV with results of the choice.
"…more thriller than horror"
