Apex

Alexander Kuelling

United States of America / 2025 / Fiction / 10’20”I2603103

Apex
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SYNOPSIS

Dominic, a middle aged aspiring fitness influencer, hides his insecurities behind filtered selfies and carnivore diets, desperate to prove he’s still got it. Beneath the gym gains and motivational reels, he’s quietly unraveling. Haunted by a looming midlife crisis and playful jabs from his wife Liz, who mocks his so-called masculinity with biting humor about his impotence. His carefully curated online persona screams alpha, but his real life whispers uncertainty. At the gym, Dominic meets Will, a young man adrift in his own identity, seeking mentorship and meaning. Sensing a chance to reclaim relevance, Dominic brings Will to a mysterious “alpha male boot camp” that promises power, dominance, and brotherhood. There they meet Marshal and Sarge, the ominous figures behind APEX. A hyper-militarized gauntlet of cold plunges, primal screaming, and ‘eye contact combat’ where the hunt for masculinity begins and the line between self-help and cult initiation blur. What unfolds is a surreal, satirical descent into the absurd expectations of modern masculinity. As their bond grows, both men are forced to confront their deepest doubts about manhood, sexuality, and the façades they present to the world.

GÉNÉRIQUE