‘Wake Up’ Review: An Eco-Protest in an Ikea-Style Showroom Gives New Meaning to ‘Direct Action’

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they are viciously attacked by a deranged security guard at the House Idea store, which resembles Ikea, during an ecoterrorism demonstration.

Originating from the remnants of RKSS, a Canadian filmmaking group known for “Turbo Kid” and “Summer of 84”, comes a grittier, less pompous English-language thriller. Unlike Bertrand Bonello’s “Nocturama,” the 2016 art film about militant Parisian hipsters hiding in a department store after planting bombs, this movie is more about a group of rebellious youths retaliating against a corporation that exploits rainforests for products like complex and confusing Kallax shelves and Järvfjället chairs. Here, the dozen kids take action instead of hiding and causing destruction in a newly renovated store headquarters.

The group dubbed “Wake Up,” reminiscent of a youthful band of ELF-like rebels, doesn’t actually represent an anti-Ikea political stance. However, it does fulfill the common daydream of what one could potentially do if granted access to such a store after hours. Clad in vibrant animal masks, characters Yasmin (played by Jacqueline Moré) and Grace (Alessia Yoko Fontana) spray-paint the walls, while Ethan (Benny O. Arthur) and recruit Karim (Thomas Gould) target the bathroom section, splattering pig’s blood on the shower, mirror, and toilet. A trivia note: It’s said that Ikea stores took away display toilets due to incidents where unsupervised children mistook them for actual toilets.

Following their inadequate preparation, good-hearted but evidently untrained amateurs assemble in the cafeteria, playfully hurling Swedish meatballs at each other, which soon spirals into a fierce paintball battle. This appears to be nothing more than a harmless prank during the initial scenes, where the directors simultaneously present the two security guards – Jack (Aidan O’Hare), an alcoholic, and his seemingly disturbed counterpart Kevin (Turlough Convery), an ardent enthusiast of “primitive hunting” who sets up vicious rat traps filled with nails, which detonate when triggered. This certainly gives off a sense of impending danger. Considering his extreme nature and his role in monitoring a family-friendly store after hours, it’s chilling to think that he is the last character we encounter in this unabashedly dark film.

In the control room of a shop, Kevin is tinkering with a self-made crossbow. He suddenly notices one of the children on a surveillance screen, and by then, Jack is already drunk. Jack pleads with his coworker to avoid reporting their supervisor, instead wanting to handle the troublemakers themselves. Unfortunately, Kevin takes things much too far, violently pushing bunny-masked Emily (Charlotte Stoiber) into a wall until she falls unconscious and dies. This wasn’t quite what the Wake Up group had intended when they shouted “Blood for blood!” into the camera before invading the store.

For the rest of the movie, it’s a group of underprepared and somewhat arrogant eco-activists facing off against an incredibly formidable enemy: Kevin, who declares, “We are all creatures, and this is my hunting turf!” as he exploits an unsuitable moment to apply his hunting abilities in the workplace. It takes just one killing for the other Wake Uppers to grasp the situation, transitioning from a mission to save the world to a struggle for survival. The filmmakers aren’t particularly concerned with preserving these self-absorbed Gen Z troublemakers and their ideals.

In the movie “Wake Up,” if any political commentary is present, it appears to be a critical, even callous, jab at the “woke” movement. This critique might seem amusing, or even cruel, before the current U.S. administration took such stern measures against dissent. The filmmakers don’t portray their college-aged characters too harshly that we don’t feel a twinge of sympathy when Kevin kills them, but they are also depicted as objects of derision, behaving like shallow influencers and bickering among themselves.

At 80 minutes into the movie, the atmosphere is tense, neat and fashionable, with a few humorous, somewhat ridiculous hurdles designed for those who dislike Ikea, such as when Kevin kidnaps one of them, then demands that the others quickly clean up their mess to prevent his hostage from bleeding out. This requires rushing to the warehouse, selecting boxes, and assembling a wardrobe in record time – an action that would likely cause stress for anyone who’s grappled with Ikea’s flat-packed “ready-to-assemble” system. The film’s most significant laugh comes when one character carelessly opens a bag, causing the wooden pegs to scatter everywhere.

After 80 minutes, the movie is full of suspense, neatness, and style, with some humorous, absurd challenges for Ikea detractors, like when Kevin captures one character and forces them to clean up a mess before their captive bleeds out. This involves running to the warehouse, choosing boxes, and assembling a wardrobe rapidly – something that could induce anxiety in anyone who’s wrestled with Ikea’s flat-pack “ready-to-assemble” system. The film’s biggest chuckle comes when one character accidentally rips open a bag, causing the wooden pegs to fly everywhere.

The main issue with “Wake Up” lies in its portrayal of the endangered intruders, who lack a viable means of defense. In this film, Kevin, played by Convery, is a colossal, emotionally immature maniac, cohabiting with his mother, yet physically imposing enough to tear apart the activists effortlessly with his bare hands. However, they outnumber him; it could have been thrilling to watch them band together and attack him like a pack of mountain lions cornering a wild bear. There are whispers of disagreements among directors Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and François Simard, collectively known as RKSS; however, just as the movie hints, only time will tell which (if any) of them will continue their shared endeavor.

The fundamental flaw in “Wake Up” is its depiction of the powerless intruders, who lack a method to counterattack. In the story, Kevin, portrayed by Convery, is a massive, emotionally stunted brute living with his mother but strong enough to dismantle activists using only his fists. Despite being outnumbered, it would have been exciting to witness them combining forces and ambushing him like a group of mountain lions hunting down a wild bear. There are tales of discord among the directors Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell, and François Simard who go by RKSS; however, similar to the movie, we’ll soon learn which (if any) will persist in their shared project.

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2025-04-04 23:19