Movies - Afterburn : A Fiery Resurrection of a Long-Awaited Post-Apocalyptic Epic

By Mulder, 31 august 2025

Few projects in Hollywood have endured as many twists and turns on their road to existence as Afterburn. First announced back in 2008, the adaptation of the Scott Chitwood and Paul Ens comic seemed cursed to languish in development hell. Names as prominent as Gerard Butler and Antoine Fuqua were once tied to the project, and years of false starts painted the film as one of those perennial “what if” stories that cinephiles whisper about. Sixteen years later, under the muscular guidance of stuntman-turned-director J. J. Perry, the film has finally erupted onto screens, delivering a gritty post-apocalyptic action ride that mixes pulpy spectacle with surprisingly timely reflections on value, culture, and survival.

The premise, pulled straight from the pages of the Red 5 Comics series created by Scott Chitwood, Paul Ens, and artist Wayne Nichols, is as simple as it is compelling: ten years after a cataclysmic solar flare wipes technology from the planet, scavengers hunt down relics of the old world for powerful patrons. At the heart of this story stands Dave Bautista as Jake, a battle-hardened ex-soldier turned treasure hunter tasked with securing one of the most famous objects in human history—the Mona Lisa. The decision to frame the hunt for cultural artifacts rather than weapons or resources is more than a narrative hook; it underscores how humanity, even at its lowest, still measures its worth in memory and art. Pairing Dave Bautista’s physicality with a mission rooted in delicate beauty offers a sly irony that runs through the entire production.

Complementing Jake’s brute strength is Olga Kurylenko as Drea, a freedom fighter who brings tactical cunning and moral depth to their uneasy partnership. Their chemistry is less about romance and more about survival instincts sharpened in opposite ways. On the other side of the chaos, Samuel L. Jackson slips into the role of Valentine, a freedom fighter whose presence adds gravitas and sly wit to the wasteland. Meanwhile, Kristofer Hivju, known to many for his wild intensity, rounds out the ensemble, lending the kind of feral unpredictability that makes every showdown feel unstable. Watching this cast interact feels like the fulfillment of a fan wish-list assembled across the fifteen years the project floated in limbo.

The long gestation of Afterburn is itself a story worth telling. In 2010, Gerard Butler nearly signed on to headline, with Antoine Fuqua circling the director’s chair. By 2012, Tommy Wirkola was attached, but the project stalled again as other films—such as Olympus Has Fallen—swept its talent away. Fast-forward to 2018, when Jung Byung-gil appeared set to direct from a script by Matt Johnson and Nimród Antal. Even then, the movie seemed trapped in a cycle of reconfigurations until 2024, when J. J. Perry was handed the reins, and Dave Bautista and Samuel L. Jackson locked in the lead roles. That casting shift not only reignited momentum but also redefined the film’s tone, leaning into the gritty, physical storytelling that Perry had perfected in his decades of stunt coordination.

Filming in Bratislava, Slovakia beginning May 2024, the production embraced locations that could convincingly reflect a world stripped bare of digital conveniences. Cinematographer José David Montero captures cracked landscapes and weather-beaten ruins with a painterly eye, while editor Luke Dunkley keeps the pacing taut, balancing sweeping vistas with sudden, brutal close-quarters violence. The European backdrop lends the movie a universality—it is not just America that has collapsed, but the entire globe, and the ruins of culture are everywhere. That decision elevates Afterburn above typical action fodder, making it feel global rather than parochial.

Behind the scenes, the journey wasn’t without further drama. In May 2025, Fourth Chance Productions won an arbitration case tied to financing fraud, after backer Tristian Peter was found guilty of breaching his commitments. The $7.7 million award underscored just how precarious independent financing can be in a blockbuster-starved industry, and yet the production somehow weathered the storm. Anecdotally, those close to the film’s Slovakia shoot remarked how Dave Bautista himself pushed morale on set, reminding cast and crew that they were making something long fought for. The sense of hard-earned creation bleeds into the final cut, where sweat and grit are never far from the frame.

Adding further resonance is the score by Roque Baños, reported in July 2025. Known for weaving emotional intensity into muscular soundscapes, Roque Baños’s music gives Afterburn its pulse, layering bombast with subtle notes of melancholy. The compositions reflect both the thrill of chases across burned-out cities and the haunting silence of a world where phones, computers, and satellites no longer hum in the background. In many ways, the score is a reminder that silence can be just as loud as an explosion, a theme that threads the entire project.

Released by Saban Films on September 19, 2025, Afterburn enters a crowded cinematic landscape of apocalyptic tales but distinguishes itself through its odyssey-like pursuit of cultural artifacts rather than mere survival. Unlike countless films that reduce the end of the world to battles over gasoline or food, this film insists on asking what remnants of the past will matter to the future. The idea that the Mona Lisa—a fragile painting of a serene face—could still ignite violence and greed says as much about humanity today as it does about the imagined tomorrow.

What makes Afterburn most fascinating is how its own tortured history mirrors the resilience of its characters. Just as Jake and Drea scavenge through the rubble for pieces of beauty, so too did J. J. Perry, Dave Bautista, and the production team dig through years of failed attempts and financial setbacks to finally bring this vision to light. The film may bear the scars of its long journey, but those scars give it texture. In the end, Afterburn doesn’t just tell a story about survival—it embodies it.

Synopsis : 
Ten years after a solar flare wiped out technology across the globe, former soldier Jake recovers valuable items from the old world for wealthy clients. His latest mission involves teaming up with Drea to steal the Mona Lisa before a warlord gets his hands on it first.

Afterburn
Directed by J. J. Perry
Written by Matt Johnson, Nimród Antal
Based on Afterburn by Scott Chitwood, Paul Ens
Produced by Toby Jaffe, Neal H. Moritz, Steve Richards
Starring  Dave Bautista Samuel L. Jackson, Olga Kurylenko, Kristofer Hivju
Cinematography : José David Montero
Edited by Luke Dunkley
Music by Roque Baños
Production companies : Original Film, Endurance Media, Dogbone Entertainment
Distributed by Saban Films
Release date : September 19, 2025
Running time : 106 minutes