’40 Acres’: Post-Apocalyptic Thriller Certified Fresh With 91% on Rotten Tomatoes

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A pulse-pounding post-apocalyptic movie has solidified itself as one of the top films this year, despite Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s revisit to the chaotic zombie world in “28 Years Later” stealing much of the limelight. However, a lesser-known genre production has demonstrated equal mastery in its construction, seamlessly blending action, horror, and modern topics to produce something astonishing. This is evident in its near-flawless 91% rating, labeled as “certified fresh,” on Rotten Tomatoes, the review aggregator site.

Alongside solidifying itself as an exceptional action thriller for the year, the film “Watchmen” and the comedic series “Carry-On” actress Danielle Deadwyler is further solidifying her place among the genre’s top action stars. In this role, she convincingly portrays a mother who bravely battles to safeguard her family from enigmatic post-apocalyptic marauders.

In his first venture as a feature film director, R. T. Thorne brings us the movie titled “40 Acres“. The main character, played by Danielle Deadwyler, is a descendant of African American farmers who settled in rural Canada in 1875. As we are now 200 years later, she finds herself battling to protect her inheritance in a post-apocalyptic world filled with ruthless antagonists eager to seize it. Supporting cast includes Kataem O’Connor, Jaeda LeBlanc, Michael Greyeyes, and Deadwyler. “40 Acres” made its theatrical debut this month, and you can find the official summary below.

Following devastating pandemics and conflicts that have left civilization in ruins, the Freeman family has found a way to not only survive but flourish on a secluded farm. However, they must frequently fend off attacking groups. Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler), a former soldier, and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes) escaped the societal collapse with their children, teaching them combat skills (and, indeed, how to take lives). Their eldest son Emanuel (Kataem O’Connor) is now reaching adulthood. A chance encounter with a young woman (Milcania Diaz-Rojas) in the forest beyond their protective barrier could potentially endanger the entire family.

Danielle Deadwyler Has Received Unanimous Praise for Her Lead Performance

The responses and feedback towards the movie “40 Acres” have been overwhelmingly positive, earning it the title “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with a remarkable score of 91%. Additionally, it has garnered an equally impressive 88% approval from viewers on Popcornmeter. Critics have showered Danielle Deadwyler with praise for her outstanding performance in the lead role. Amanda Sink of The Hollywood Outsider particularly noted…

40 Acres, starring a captivating performance by Danielle Deadwyler, delivers a tense, heartfelt exploration of post-apocalyptic survival. This thrilling tale skillfully interweaves pulse-pounding action with profound themes of kinship, devotion, and our innate longing for companionship.

In the words of Devan Suber from IGN, Danielle Deadwyler once again demonstrates her acting prowess, delivering a badass yet compassionate performance in the leading role. She’s particularly skilled at delivering witty one-liners. Moreover, 40 Acres offers thrilling action sequences that are well worth applauding and serves as an excellent companion to 28 Years Later. Similar sentiments were expressed by Cortlyn Kelly of RogerEbert.com, who concluded that Deadwyler raises everyone else’s game. G. Allen Johnson from San Francisco Chronicle was also impressed with the inventive and visceral action in 40 Acres, describing it as something entirely unique.

In the gripping second half of the captivating post-apocalyptic thriller “40 Acres,” I stumbled upon an exhilarating action sequence that was so inventive, so raw and unlike anything I’ve witnessed on screen before, it makes the admission fee feel like a bargain.

Ultimately, and with great enthusiasm, Anne Brodie from What She Said gave the post-apocalyptic action thriller 40 Acres a flawless 4/4 rating. In her words, she deemed it as “one of the exceptional films currently available.

In a captivating manner, R.T. Thorne’s compassion shines through his work. This masterpiece is graceful yet complex, vividly brought to life in a way that is both striking and thought-provoking. It stands among the finest films currently available.

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2025-07-07 16:03