March 12, 2016 -- This combo suspense thriller and science fiction movie is compact and tight, delivering white knuckle suspense and surprises right up to the very end, where it just goes crazy. It is sort of like “War of the Worlds” meets “Misery.”

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”) stars as Michelle, who wakes up from a car accident to find herself a prisoner in a bomb shelter run by a madman, who just might be a serial killer. That is bad enough, of course, but then she discovers that there has been some kind of attack, and the world she knows may have ended.

The bomb shelter owner and operator is a mysterious guy with a short fuse named Howard (John Goodman of “Argo”). Also in the shelter is Emmett (John Gallagher Jr. of “Short Term 12”) who got in because he helped Howard build the bomb shelter. The underground shelter is very elaborate, with its own air filtration system, underground water supply, waste disposal, power supply and food enough to last for years.

Michelle's first instinct is to get out of the shelter, but Howard won't let her. All exits are locked, and Howard has the only keys, and he has a gun, too. Howard seems easy going enough, but he has a violent temper and wild paranoia. Howard is convinced the air outside the shelter is poison, and that it won't be safe to breathe for years. Emmett is also convinced the air is poison, and Michelle eventually is convinced of this as well.

Michelle eventually finds clues in the shelter that Howard may be even more dangerous than he seems to be. She sets out to plan her escape. Even if the air outside is poison, it may be safer than staying in this bomb shelter with an unhinged, violent man. Howard may be crazy, but he isn't dumb. He watches every move that Michelle makes, and she may not be able to get away.

John Goodman shows off his dark side now and then in movies. He can play a scary character, and he is very scary in this movie. He erupts into rage at the slightest provocation. He is very unpredictable and unbalanced. He is like a bomb that could go off at any time. Emmett is very easygoing. He is willing to go along with what Emmett wants.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is good at playing smart, resourceful characters. She does her own investigation of Howard and comes up with a clever plan to escape. When she has to be strong minded and tough, she does what needs to be done. The performances in this film are excellent. Director Dan Trachtenberg does a great job keeping the tension high in this thriller. The screenplay by Josh Campbell, Matthew Stuecken and Damien Chazelle sizzles with tension, and it rises to a whole new level at the end. This film rates a B+.

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