Aftermath (2017 film)

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Aftermath is a 2017 American thriller directed by Elliott Lester and written by Javier Gullón. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Scoot McNairy, Maggie Grace and Martin Donovan. The story is inspired by the real 2002 Überlingen mid-air collision, but names and details are changed. It was released by Lionsgate Premiere on April 7, 2017 and was also available on video on demand.

Plot
Roman Melnyk, a construction worker, loses his wife Olena and unborn daughter Nadiya when their flight AX 112 collides with another plane. He blames the air traffic controller on duty that night, Jake Bonanos, who is devastated by the disaster but cannot face accountability. Jake tries to start a new life under a false name, while his family tries to move on. Reporter Tessa Gorbett investigates the crash and helps Roman locate Jake. Roman confronts Jake at his home and stabs him to death. He is convicted of murder and serves 10 years, later being released on parole. Years later, Jake’s son Samuel seeks revenge but encounters Roman and, after hearing Roman’s apology, decides not to kill him. The film centers on the long and painful fallout of a tragedy and how survivors cope with loss and the idea of justice.

Production and release
The project began with Schwarzenegger attached to a script produced by Darren Aronofsky’s Protozoa Pictures. Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films and Protozoa Pictures produced the film, which Lionsgate Premiere released in the United States. Principal photography took place starting December 14, 2015, in Columbus, Ohio. The production budget was about $10.5 million, and the film earned around $0.8 million at the box office.

Reception
Critical reception was mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds about 40% approval from 57 reviews, and on Metacritic it has a score of 44 out of 100 from 13 critics. Some critics and real-life observers criticized the movie for distortions of the true events and for dramatizing the aftermath in ways the real people did not experience.