Written by Allison Buckmelter and Nicolas Buckmelter under the direction of Ali LeRoi, American Refugee follows a desperate family, the Taylors seeking solace in their neighbour's bunker when the American economy is on the brink of collapse. But it turns out that the danger inside is more than the danger outside. Watch the suspense-packed trailer video as two families go head-to-head in pursuit of survival.
Greg and Helen Taylor must protect their family from outside dangers when the societal systems begin to collapse. As a last option, they seek shelter in their neighbouring family's bunker, where the owner is a religious survivalist. The neighbour agrees to help them only if they make themselves useful, but as supplies become scarce, tension begins to rise, creating a situation where no one can be trusted.
Casting calls for the Taylor family include Derek Luke as Greg Taylor, Erika Alexander as Helen Taylor, Zamani Wilder as Zoe Taylor and Peyton Jackson as Kai Taylor. The next-door family comprises Sam Trammell as Winter, Jessi Case as Amber and Vince Mattis as Matty. Rounding up the cast members are Charity Jordan as Brooke, Shelby Faciane as a store clerk, Luke Sexton as burglar 1 and Jonathan Arthur as burglar 2.
American Refugee is produced as a collaboration between Epix
cable network and Blumhouse Television, where Jason Blum serves as an executive
producer.
Since its premiere on December 10 last year, American Refugee has garnered a 3.8/10 score on IMDb and a 3.1/5 rating on Movie Insider. With only one critic review on the Rotten Tomatoes website, Brian Costello from Common Sense Media says, “It’s a decent premise, but one that feels unsatisfying.”
The top review on IMDb reads, “We again have a white religious guy who’s close to god but is all selfish and with a killer mentality. Of course, … Then again, we have a black dude who’s not religious but acts like he’s the reincarnation of Jesus.”
Although the movie thrives on white religious men stereotypes, it could be worth watching for the thrilling moments and to see how it turns out for the presumably black refugee family.