Last Sentinel (2023)

Last updated:
September 27, 2025

Last Sentinel is a slow-burning dystopian thriller directed by Tanel Toom. Set in a near-future where rising sea levels have swallowed most of Earth, the film focuses on four soldiers stranded on a remote military outpost. It’s a chamber piece disguised as a science-fiction drama, exploring paranoia, loyalty, and the desperation that arises when people are cut off from the world for too long.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Setting the Stage: A Drowned World

The movie takes place in 2063, where climate change has devastated the planet. Nations have collapsed, and endless wars are fought over the last scraps of habitable land. A remote fortress-like station sits on the ocean, where four soldiers guard a missile system capable of mass destruction. They are isolated, waiting for orders that may never come.

The Four Soldiers

Kate Bosworth plays Cassidy, the most level-headed but haunted member of the crew.
Lucien Laviscount portrays Sullivan, the youngest, full of hope yet naïve.
Martin McCann as Hendrichs, a soldier barely holding it together, consumed by paranoia.
Thomas Kretschmann as Grieg, the commanding officer, whose health and judgment start to falter.

They are stationed for months beyond their expected service time, unsure if their homeland still exists or if they’ve been forgotten.

The Arrival of the “Enemy”

Tension builds when the crew spots a seemingly abandoned boat drifting toward their post. Is it a refugee vessel, an enemy decoy, or just debris? Their decision to investigate sparks suspicion and mistrust among them. Hendrichs, already unstable, becomes convinced the boat is a trap, while Cassidy argues for compassion and caution.

Mutiny and Descent Into Madness

The crew begins to fracture. Sullivan sides with Cassidy, while Hendrichs becomes increasingly unhinged, testing the loyalty of the others. Grieg, the commander, loses control over his men as paranoia spreads. Supplies dwindle, morale collapses, and the looming presence of the missile — a weapon that could change the fate of the war — becomes a symbolic burden.

Movie Ending

In the climax, Hendrichs seizes control, believing the enemy is coming to destroy them. He insists they must fire the missile before it’s too late. Cassidy, however, realizes that no orders are coming — their nation might already be gone, and firing the weapon would mean murdering countless innocents or striking at a ghost of an enemy.

A violent confrontation ensues. Hendrichs kills Sullivan in his rage, pushing Cassidy to take decisive action. She manages to kill Hendrichs, leaving only herself and Grieg alive. But Grieg is too weak and mentally broken to lead.

The final moments are bleak: Cassidy, alone in the station, stares out at the endless ocean. No rescue comes. No orders arrive. The haunting implication is that humanity may already be gone, and she is guarding a weapon that no longer has a purpose. The film closes on her isolated figure, a last sentinel of a world that no longer exists.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, Last Sentinel does not include a post-credits scene. The film ends definitively with Cassidy’s isolation, leaving the audience with a sense of unresolved tension and existential dread.

Type of Movie

Last Sentinel is a dystopian science-fiction thriller with strong elements of psychological drama and military suspense. It feels more like a tense stage play than a typical action-driven sci-fi movie.

Cast

Kate Bosworth as Cassidy
Lucien Laviscount as Sullivan
Martin McCann as Hendrichs
Thomas Kretschmann as Grieg

Film Music and Composer

The score is composed by Si Begg, blending atmospheric electronic tones with minimalist orchestral elements. The music underscores the claustrophobic atmosphere of the station and the ever-present sense of dread.

Filming Locations

The movie was shot largely in Croatia, especially along the Adriatic coast, where the sea and rugged industrial backdrops provide a stark and lonely setting. The fortress itself was constructed as a massive set, giving the actors a real physical environment to interact with. The location emphasizes the themes of isolation and abandonment.

Awards and Nominations

As of now, Last Sentinel has not won major awards, though it has been noted at film festivals for its atmosphere, production design, and tense performances.

Behind the Scenes Insights

Director Tanel Toom wanted the film to feel like a mix between sci-fi spectacle and stage drama, which is why he kept the cast small and the set claustrophobic.
The fortress set was deliberately designed to feel both futuristic and decaying, highlighting humanity’s decline.
Kate Bosworth described filming as “psychologically exhausting,” due to the intensity of the material and the isolation of the set.
The actors were encouraged to improvise certain arguments to heighten the feeling of paranoia.

Inspirations and References

The film draws inspiration from:

The Cold War and the concept of nuclear deterrence.
Classic isolation thrillers like Das Boot and The Thing.
Real-world concerns about climate change and rising sea levels.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

No official alternate endings have been released, but early drafts of the script reportedly toyed with a more action-heavy finale, including an actual enemy assault. Tanel Toom, however, chose a more ambiguous and psychological conclusion.

Book Adaptations and Differences

The film is not based on a book. It is an original screenplay, though it borrows themes common in dystopian literature, particularly the focus on futility and human fragility.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The discovery of the drifting boat, which sets off the crew’s paranoia.
Sullivan’s death at the hands of Hendrichs — the breaking point of their fragile unity.
Cassidy killing Hendrichs in the control room, reclaiming some order at great cost.
The final scene of Cassidy alone, staring into the endless sea.

Iconic Quotes

Cassidy: “We’re soldiers without a war. Ghosts guarding ghosts.”
Hendrichs: “If we don’t strike first, we’re already dead.”
Grieg: “Orders will come. They have to.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

The name “Last Sentinel” is both literal (they are the last soldiers at their post) and symbolic (humanity itself may be on its last stand).
The missile is shown covered in rust and grime, symbolizing the decay of the world it was built to protect.
Cassidy’s name may reference Captain Cassian Andor from Star Wars, another soldier caught in endless war and moral ambiguity.

Trivia

The movie was filmed almost entirely on one set, adding to the sense of claustrophobia.
Tanel Toom is best known for his Oscar-nominated short film The Confession.
Bosworth signed on partly because of the script’s heavy psychological tension, comparing it to “stage theatre in space.”
The working title was “The Fortress.”

Why Watch?

If you enjoy slow-burn psychological thrillers with sci-fi world-building, Last Sentinel is worth your time. It’s not an action-heavy blockbuster — it’s a meditative, tense, and bleak exploration of duty, survival, and what happens when people are abandoned at the edge of the world.

Director’s Other Works

Truth and Justice (2019) – an Estonian historical epic
The Confession (2010) – Oscar-nominated short film
The Second Coming (2008) – short film

Last Sentinel (2023)