Elevation (2024)

Eight thousand feet is the only rule that matters in Elevation. The creatures called Reapers never climb above it, so the survivors never come down. It’s a clean, clever hook, and the movie spends it on a fairly standard supply run. Anthony Mackie plays Will, a single dad at a mountain refuge in Colorado whose son Hunter has a lung disease, and the boy’s oxygen filters are running low. So Will talks scientist Nina (Morena Baccarin) into a trip down to Boulder, with his friend Katie (Maddie Hasson) along. Nina’s homemade compass, which pings when Reapers are near, is a fun gadget until the route dips into an old mine where it goes useless. The Rocky Mountain scenery is gorgeous and Mackie makes a sturdy, likable lead. The story, though, feels assembled from spare parts of better creature features. It made $3.71 million worldwide on a reported $18M. A 4.7 because the altitude gimmick is smart and the rest runs on autopilot. $86.66 says you look up the elevation of your town before bed tonight.

What works: Anthony Mackie is a solid, grounded lead, the mountain scenery looks great, and the tight runtime keeps things moving.

What doesn’t: Almost every beat feels borrowed from other creature thrillers, so the clever elevation rule never leads anywhere surprising.

Who it’s for: Creature-feature fans who want a quick, low-stakes thriller night and don’t mind seeing familiar ideas again.