I seem to be drawn to the post civilization, end of days genre. I think in an intentional way, this movie pays homage to almost every one I can recall. Eli, 28 Days and 28 Weeks Later, Mad Max, I am Legend, etc.
The most significant though is the twist on 'A Boy and His Dog' where a very young Don Johnson (Vic) and his dog roam the nuclear wastelands of the mid US. He communicates telepathically with the dog, giving him an edge in finding food and naturally sex since women are scarce. Someone asked, "why kill the dog?" Well in 'A Boy and His Dog" Vic kills the girl so he and the dog can eat. Downstream flips all this giving a nod to the earlier version.
The most significant though is the twist on 'A Boy and His Dog' where a very young Don Johnson (Vic) and his dog roam the nuclear wastelands of the mid US. He communicates telepathically with the dog, giving him an edge in finding food and naturally sex since women are scarce. Someone asked, "why kill the dog?" Well in 'A Boy and His Dog" Vic kills the girl so he and the dog can eat. Downstream flips all this giving a nod to the earlier version.