There are better Ben Wheatley movies
- In the Earth review by AER
In The Earth has atmosphere and impressive settings for days but it falls down because the plot lacks clarity. Up until the half-way mark, In The Earth is intriguing, but then the narrative loses its grip until it turns into a series of interesting but bewildering ideas that have as much rhyme or reason as a pop-promo. It looks, sounds and feels very cool but it lacks heart or true human interest. I was never invested in the peril shared by the two main characters once they encountered those hiding in the woods. Hayley Squires' delivers a weird and not particularly convincing performance as a rogue doctor on a nebulous mission, everyone else is a bit better. The mission's raison d'etre is original but garbled in the telling. It's probably best for most viewers to enjoy the awesome visuals and sound design. Ben Wheatley used to be my fave UK director but since Free Fire, he's been a bit flat for me. Maybe he's running out of creative steam. After Happy New Year Colin Burstead, Rebecca, and now this, he should maybe take longer between films to come up with something really worth our while once more.
4 out of 6 members found this review helpful.
Another tedious Ben Wheatley film
- In the Earth review by Alphaville
Something evil lurks in the woods. Cue our hero and heroine to wander into them and meet a silly bad man. Even a good director would have trouble with such a hoary old plot (written by director Ben himself). If you’ve seen a Wheatley film before, you’ll know how long drawn-out they can be. This is no different. Surely even die-hard horror fans will hit the FF key before long.
4 out of 7 members found this review helpful.
Like a low key Dr. Who episode
- In the Earth review by SG
I like the films of Ben Wheatley. This one needs a bit of tidying up but the premise is good. It’s got a touch of The Wicker Man about it, plus a little bit of Hereditary.
Two people set off on a mission into the woods and, guess what, it doesn’t go well! It’s a solid British thriller but the plot is a bit sketchy and doesn’t unravel cleanly. There are quite a few shots from the characters' POV which is exciting and exhilarating. There is ruthless violence and amazing special effects - yes old school special effects and not CGI which is a truly great thing to see, as nowadays when there’s any hint of CGI Dwayne Johnson pops up on screen.
The visual imagery and haunting soundtrack really make this movie. It’s like going to the cinema and feeling hallucinations, it’s that good. But ultimately it’s let down by being a bit muddled and slightly long at one hour 50 minutes. It's got Covid references so have your mask with you.
It’s a good effort though, as usual from one of our finest maverick directors.
6.9/10
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
So-so Trippy British Mystery Pagan Horror
- In the Earth review by PV
All very mystical BUT not a patch pf films like MIDSOMAR or RELIC.
The writer/director's film SIGHTSEERS is much better and his best is DOWN TERRACE.
I get annoyed too by the endless diversity tickbox casting - I think directors do this to try and nudge a BAFTA nomination in our brave new wokeworld. but honestly, just look at UK demographics and match that.
The trippy scenes are fun and probably great watched collectively in a late night cinema.
But it is all so vague and weird and ultimately does not go anywhere much. All a bit X-files.
2 stars
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Interesting Pagan Horror
- In the Earth review by GI
The few attempts at making films during the Covid 19 restrictions mostly met with dismal failures but British director Ben Wheatley has here made an interesting pagan horror film that for the most part is rather good, tense and at times very disturbing. It's an ambitious film considering there have been a few films set in forests where something may or may not lurk. This has a phantasmagoric feel to it, and if you like your horror films to be a little different then this is a bit of a treat. It's a part folk horror and part survivalist story where the backdrop is that a devastating virus is affecting the world. But this isn't the focus of the narrative. It begins with a young scientist, Martin (Joel Fry), who has come out of enforced isolation to embark on a journey deep into an ancient forest searching for his muse, Dr Wendle (Hayley Squires), who is conducting experiments at a camp and hasn't been heard of in awhile. Accompanied by a guide, Alma (Ellora Torchia), they head off on the two day trek but are attacked and have all their equipment including their shoes stolen. They are helped by a strange hermit, Zach (Reece Shearsmith), who turns out to be someone with a much darker agenda. There's some edge-of-your-seat stuff juxtaposed with some more relaxed scenes that gives the film a growing sense of eeriness and malevolence. Unfortunately though as it moves into the final third the film does lose its way a little with a bit too much exposition that really was unnecessary. That said though this has Wheatley's unique touch that gives his films that extra zing (be prepared there's some shocks) and whilst it's not perfect it is a welcome return to horror with a touch of difference. Worth trying.
1 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
Deadly dull despite a good premise.
- In the Earth review by NP
Strange to see a research team fitted with face masks and sanitizers and realise it’s set in the world as it is in the early 2020s. I write this as we’re getting to what might be the end of the Covid pandemic that has changed lives for two years. When it first occurred, I remember walking into a supermarket and seeing it full of empty shelves and thinking how it was like something out of a sci-fi film – and terrifying. Ben Wheatley transfers this every day terror very well to film; people getting on with their lives as best they can in a newly dangerous world.
A routine reconnaissance is interrupted by the arrival of the initially benign Zach (always brilliant Reece Shearsmith), and what follows is distinctly uncomfortable. The leaden pace means we can really relish and dwell on the unsophisticated unpleasantness, and the effects are such that nothing looks like it isn’t happening.
The problem is, it is for the most part, pretty dull. Perhaps that’s the point, but there’s no pace, no spectacle: nothing – perhaps that would be too obvious.
The folk horror credentials are nicely displayed - rolling landscape, hippy-ish characters, runic symbolism and effigies hanging from trees, and plenty of psychedelic imagery – but none of this really comes to anything. Sometimes weirdness is just as unsettling and disorientating as horror, but that’s not the case here. Ultimately, the whole viewing experience is sadly turgid and vacuous. My score is 4 out of 10.
0 out of 1 members found this review helpful.
It had potential...
- In the Earth review by F15HF1NG3RZ
... But some of the casting was so poor. I don't personally think for one second that Joel Fry should be the leading man for a horror film. He is somebody I would use a bumbling comedy character and in fact all I can think of him as is Leyton from Trollied. The other terrible piece of casting was Hayley Squires as the doctor... She was so uninterested in being there and was really dialling the performance in. The way they spoke about "the doctor" throughout the film I was expecting and older, more mysterious woman to be playing the role. Anyway, it was all quite boring apart from the lovely lights and sounds towards the end. Wasn't worth wasting 2hrs on though. Look into a kaleidoscope for 5 minutes and save the hassle.
0 out of 1 members found this review helpful.