This Intense Sci-Fi Thriller Is ‘Jaws’ Meets ‘The Gorge’

In 2025, The Gorge delivered an unexpected love story in an atmospheric setting where military values are shattered in the light of survival and hope. If you enjoyed the vast isolation in the sci-fi, dystopian setting, but would have preferred a more serious approach to the fight for survival and military rhetoric, then you need to watch 2023’s Last Sentinel. The thriller is The Gorge meets Jaws, where one’s fear of the ocean is transfigured into something more apocalyptic and all-consuming, as staring out into the empty skyline makes one feel like the only person left on earth. Here, the sea levels have engulfed the planet, leaving two distinct land masses that are waging war against one another, turning this nightmarish landscape into a question of whether war is worth it.

The Relentless Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Last Sentinel’ Creates an Atmospheric Dystopian Apocalypse

Set 40 years into the future, Last Sentinel takes us to a military outpost in the middle of the ocean, where four soldiers are desperately hanging onto survival as they wait for the relief crew, who are three months overdue. At this point, the soldiers’ hope is waning, especially when an unfamiliar vessel is spotted, one that could belong to the enemy. They are led by the no-nonsense, anything-for-the-mission Sergeant Hendrichs (Thomas Kretschmann); Baines (Martin McCann), the unruly engineer that keeps the technology running; Sullivan (Lucien Laviscount) works the comms and is also responsible for hauling in fresh fish; and Cassidy (Kate Bosworth) is the level-headed second-in-command, who also happens to be entangled in a romantic relationship with Sullivan.

While the plot itself hits fairly familiar sci-fi beats, the dystopian world-building is immersive and mesmerizing. Many renditions of the future tend to lean towards clinical, advanced technology or a dilapidated, apocalyptic landscape, but Last Sentinel somewhat blends the two. The technology the crew uses to survive is still fairly modern despite the rust — including iodine baths to reduce the impacts of radiation or sonar equipment — but there is a distinct sense of desolation and brutality in seeing water, wind, and storm as far as the eye can go. It’s even more chilling to imagine that the world is simply reduced to the undulating landscape we see on-screen, where the only variations occur from the choppiness of the water or the strength of the wind. Between the camerawork and the set pieces, you truly feel like you’re alongside them, succumbing to the bleakness of their everyday reality, punctuated only by frantic moments of survival.

‘Last Sentinel’ Is Anchored by Gritty and Emotional Performances

Driving the narrative forward and contributing to the atmosphere are the four central characters of Last Sentinel, each making their mark through their often clashing personalities. Cassidy’s vague role on the crew could have easily led to the character fading into the background, but Bosworth ensures she is still imperative in her own right. She becomes the steady anchor whose serene but hardened personality makes the grim circumstances of the setting feel bearable, and we often look to her as a baseline for the unfolding fight for survival. We only ever get to peer behind the curtain whenever Bosworth shares the screen with Laviscount, as their chemistry endears us to these two characters who seek companionship in such an alienating environment.

Meanwhile, Hendrichs and Baines embody the warring themes in the film: survival and war. At the crux of Last Sentinel is the idea of whether sacrificing oneself and one’s peace for a cause is ever worth it, especially in such extreme, apocalyptic circumstances. While Hendrichs soldiers on with his military values, Baines offers another point of view in an unexpected way, eventually becoming the most important character later on in the film thanks to his philosophy on swallows. As the plot twists and turns, the film weaves this debate effortlessly into the drama, heightening the impact of the barren and memorable setting.

Coming away from Last Sentinel, you’ll never be able to look at the ocean the same way again. The film constructs a dread-laden world that can still foster hope in the wake of destruction — one that is easy to get lost in, as the characters and the themes make the mere idea of water feel haunting.