[Sundance Review] “In the Earth” by Ben Wheatley is a psychedelic trip to popular terror

Writer / Director Ben Wheatley is one of the most unpredictable filmmakers working today. Its production tends to lean towards a commercially friendly tariff, as Rebecca or same Skyscrapers, or turns into an unconventional mental fuck cinema. There is rarely a middle ground. His last, conceived on the first day of blockade, falls into the latter category, referring to the hallucinogenic madness of A field in England. Against the backdrop of the modern Covid-19, In the land avoids a standard pandemic history in favor of a psychedelic trip to the territory of popular terror.

As a deadly virus plagues the world, Dr. Martin Lowery (Joel Fry) penetrates deep into the forest to locate Dr. Olivia (Hayley Squires) At the inn, he learns briefly about an old folk tale that talks about a spirit of the forest, passes health checks with lies and meets his scout guide Alma (Ellora Torchia) Problems almost immediately hindered the pair’s long journey; they find abandoned tents, and Martin confesses to being out of shape for the trip. Then, Martin and Alma are attacked in the middle of the night and are barefoot. This leads them to Zach (Interior No. 9in Reece Shearsmith), a hippie type living outside the network. Thanks to their gentle behavior, Alma and Martin quickly accept Zach’s help, only to realize that their intentions are not benign. Getting in and out of the forest will no longer be so easy, as reality no longer has meaning.

Wheatley doesn’t waste much time before plunging Martin and Alma into insanity. In the introduction of Martin and Alma, the filmmaker also creates a deity of folk terror potentially lurking in the forest. This is before starting the walk and passing strange tuber-like plants that emit vapors. Is this a question of ecological terror or popular terror? While Wheatley plunges his characters and the viewer into hallucinatory madness, the answer is a little bit of both. Its protagonists are at the mercy of the forest inhabitants, who may or may not be under the domination of something totally different. As usual, the filmmaker wants you to decide for yourself through a wild and elusive journey that gives you important hints for a mythical personification of nature.

In the land it doesn’t skimp on horror, either. That is, it does not repress violence. Expect some characters to be subjected to horrible horrible bodies. The flesh opens, the ends of the skin sway in the forest breeze and even small amputations contribute to some terrible moments of terror. Expect Wheatley to inject humor into the most shocking moments of visceral horror as well.

The idea of ​​framing a story in the depths of the forest means that nature offers a rich production value. Nick GillespieThe stunning cinematography of and the unexpected and vibrant red and green gel, as well as trippy images, contribute to a much richer experience than expected. It should be noted that the film tilts strongly for strobe effects. It is an impressive descent into madness. One who is not concerned with direct explanations and lasts longer than he probably should. In the land it is more of a journey than a narrative, and it can be relatively long by its premise.

There are obvious nods to our current events, at least in the beginning. The characters wear masks when passing signs of measures of social distance, and all this serves as a reflection of the present. Refreshingly, however, Wheatley’s pandemic feature is not concerned with trying to recreate our current events through a lens of terror. Instead, the filmmaker finds inspiration in nature, elaborating a wild and hallucinogenic descent to abject terror, giving clues about a mythology of popular terror and references to witchcraft. For fans of your previous genre work, In the land marks a welcome return to form. It may seem a little familiar to A field in England and raises more questions than answers, but it’s still a fascinating journey.