In the Earth

Some screenwriters and directors manage to reinvent themselves with each film, so much so that they refuse to settle for simplicity and to reproduce the same films in order to make a name for themselves with the big Hollywood studios and fit into a predefined mold. From his first film Down Terrace (2009), a British thriller as original as it is effective, this director has remained faithful to his subjects that are close to his heart. His next films, Kill list (2011), Sightseers (2012), English Revolution (A Field in England) (2013), High-Rise (2015), Free Fire (2016), Happy New Year, Colin Burstead (2018) and Rebecca (2020) not only imposed his style but also made him one of the most appreciated British directors.

Of course, these films will not please everyone, but at least they have the merit of presenting a real vision of a director who is always in search of perfection and who continues to be able to exercise his profession freely without ever betraying his thoughts. His new film In the earth, which he also wrote and edited, is a real cinematic experience and above all places his action in the midst of a global pandemic like the one we have been living through for far too long.

The seemingly very simplistic scenario in which the world seeks a cure for a disastrous virus while we follow a scientist and a scout venturing deep into the forest for a routine run. Director and screenwriter Ben Wheatley delivers a perfectly topical film with a strong message in which nature can be truly hostile and certain beliefs can be real alarms for the human race. At the frontier of fantasy cinema, In the earth takes advantage of natural settings and a reduced team linked to the shooting conditions related to coronavirus to impose itself by its originality and radicality.

Director Ben Wheatley continues to surprise us with his willingness to renounce all simplicity and above all to continue his analysis of the human soul. He opposes here science, religion and nature in a macabre dance from which nobody will come out unscathed, including the spectators. Once again, music plays an important part in the success of this film by amplifying the oppressive climate and highlighting the cruelty and insanity of certain characters. The result is a permanent feeling of uneasiness and a dead end for the two main characters who will have to face two demented people and suffer violently.

Once again the director pays great attention not only to the photography of his film but also to the editing. The result is a film that finds the perfect angle to deal with the pandemic but also to make viewers wonder about our uncertain future.

In the earth
Written and Directed by Ben Wheatley
Produced by Andy Starke
Starring Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, Reece Shearsmith
Music by Clint Mansell
Cinematography : Nick Gillespie
Production Designer: Felicity Hickson
Edited by Ben Wheatley
Costume Designer: Emma Fryer
Distributed by Neon (https://neonrated.com)
Release date: January 30, 202 (Sundance)
Running time: 100 minutes

Seen on January 30, 2021 (Sundance Festival)

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