And don't forget, in order to live, you have to survive.
The Decline (French: Jusqu'au déclin) is a 2020 French Canadian action thriller directed by Patrice Laliberté in his feature film debut. It stars Marc-André Grondin, Isabelle Giroux, Marilyn Castonguay, Marc Beaupré, Marie-Évelyne Lessard and Guillaume Cyr. The movie tells the story of a group of survivalists attending a two-week training program in Northern Quebec. However, it all goes downhill when an accidental fatality drives the group over the edge.The movie was distributed by Netflix, the first Quebequois movie to earn the Netflix Original banner, and has been dubbed in 32 different languages.
This film provides examples of:
- Action Girl: Rachel.
- Ax-Crazy: Well, more Gun Crazy. David becomes this when Sebastien, Antoine and Rachel plan their escape.
- Bittersweet Ending: Might lean more to the bitter than the sweet. Rachel survives the slaughter, bludgeons David to death, incapacitates Alain, and leaves with the intention of bringing the latter to justice. However, Sebastien, Anna, Francois, and Antoine did not see the light of day as Francois was killed in a freak accident with the pipe bombs, Anna was left to die, Sebastien was snatched by a noose snare and Antoine was shot by David.
- Boom, Headshot!: How Antoine dies.
- Crazy-Prepared: Invoked in-universe by Alain, who makes his living by running an online video channel where he claims to teach people to be prepared for anything. He starts the in-person training program by showing off his elaborate preparations for an assumed cultural collapse to the other participants. Abruptly subverted when one of his pipe bombs accidentally goes off and kills Francois and eventually futile when Rachel defeats him.
- Crazy Survivalist: While the attendees are hardcore survivalists, Alain solidifies this trope.
- Decoy Protagonist: The movie follows Antoine from the beginning where he and his family practice evacuation. He lasts until the climax after being shot by David, leaving Rachel to kill David and capture Alain.
- Don't Go in the Woods: Both the trope itself and literally - Alain has filled the woods around his cabin with traps.
- The Determinator: Rachel is this in spades. A survivalist who survives a series of attacks from Alain and despite her injuries manages to take down her attacker. Survivalists are determinators, but Rachel might be the most determined of them all.
- Fatal Family Photo: Antoine looks at a photo of his family in his car before being shot and killed by David.
- Final Girl: Rachel is the only woman who survives (since Anna died from blood loss or hypothermia), and confronts David and faces Alain alone.
- The Grappler: Early in the movie, Rachel demonstrates her skill at throws and takedowns for the group. This foreshadows her hand-to-hand fights with David and Alain in the finale.
- Jump Scare: There are some moments in the film that will catch you off guard.
- The pipe bombs going off by themselves, leading to the death of Francois.
- Sebastien getting ensnared in the noose snare. Even if you know that Alain put traps all around the place, it can still come as a surprise to some.
- Rachel falling through the ice. It catches you off guard since the ice looks thick and accidents like these occur on thin ice.
- Antoine getting shot in the head.
- Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: As Antoine's group try to get through the forest to the cars, while being chased by David and Alain.
- Hostile Weather: Takes place in northern Canada in the late winter.
- Only Sane Man: Antoine when Francois dies. While the others are arguing whether to hide the evidence to save their own asses or call the authorities because it's the right thing to do, Antoine points out the cops are going to be involved because Francois had a family that will file a missing persons report and his cell phone data will lead them right to Alain's camp. Hiding the evidence will just make it worse for everyone.
- Survivalist Stash: At Alain's camp and hidden in the woods nearby. When the different groups of survivors start fighting and chasing one another through the woods, they raid the containers for supplies and weapons.
- Trash the Set: The final fight between Rachel, David, and Alain thoroughly trashes the survivalist camp set, including burning the prop greenhouse.
- Winter Warfare: Not a war film, but this trope comes into full steam when David and Alain hunt for the remaining survivalists.
- What a Drag: Done with a snowmobile. After she beats him up, Rachel ties Alain to a sled and drags it behind her as she rides the snowmobile out.
