Laurie Criego makes her feature-length debut with her screenplay for Mother Nature And The Doomsday Prepper. Directed by Christian Cashmir, the romantic comedy begins by explaining why Zeus (Brock O’Hurn) closed the gates to Olympus so mortals could no longer visit. The plot really starts when Lexi (Mallory Mejias) gets Mother Nature, whose real name is Demi (Kate Amundsen), in trouble with the god of all gods. Zeus is displeased with the state of the Earth and blames Demi, as she hasn’t visited in a number of years. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, she convinces Zeus to let her straighten mortals out.
Zeus agrees but chooses Zip (Andrew Key), an orange farmer and doomsday prepper who staunchly believes the world is on the brink of collapse. Alexandros (Eric Freeman), a descendant of Hercules who does not want to become a warrior, accompanies Demi on her journey to the mortal realm. Zip and Demi’s first meeting is awkward, to say the least, but the two are forced to spend time together, which ignites something in them both. However, since Demi is forbidden from using her powers, how can she save her job and the planet? Can a goddess and a mortal truly fall in love?
Mother Nature And The Doomsday Prepper begins most farcically in nature. The bit about mortal “mocking” ancient Greek life, a.k.a. college frats, is hilarious. The over-the-top nature of Zeus and the obvious evil within Lexi all lead to some good laughs. Once away from Mount Olympus, the film successfully generates real drama. Criego and Cashmir sell the Earth is doomed angle with the amount of gravity such a thing deserves. Now, don’t misunderstand, this is a comedy through and through, but any good story has something real at stake, which is the case here. Keeping the joke running smoothly are the gods and goddesses’ confusion over simple human interactions. The attempts to get Demi is film a promo video are the funniest stuff in the entire film. Bennie (Jonah McDonald), Zip’s nephew, is also the source of several laugh-out-loud moments.
Demi and Zip’s unlikely romance blossoms in a moment of human connection
“…since Demi is forbidden from using her powers, how can she save her job and the planet?”
But this is a romantic comedy, and the love story is very sweet. Sure, it’s just boy meets girl, they are opposites, but opposites do attract after mild to medium shenanigans ensue, of course. However, Amundsen and Key are delightful together. Individually, they deliver good performances, but it is their on-screen chemistry that sparks interest in the audience. These two are perfect together, and it is very easy to understand how and why the leads eventually fall for each other.
The supporting cast excels as well. Danae Hays, though briefly on screen, reliably delivers laughs. O’Hurn delights as the confused yet earnest Zeus, while Mejias infuses Lexi with sultry charisma. McDonald’s comedic timing is constantly on point.
Mother Nature And The Doomsday Prepper is funny from the first frame to the last. Despite the silliness, the filmmakers strike a balance between humor and a sense of urgency about the planet’s future. Most importantly, the film excels as a romance due to sharp writing and the excellent casting of Amundsen and Key.
For more information, visit the official Mother Nature And The Doomsday Prepper site.
"…funny from the first frame to the last."
