Wow...I'm utterly speechless, I don't even know where to begin with this review. Ben Wheatley's metaphysical art house masterpiece is a raw, intense, surreal visual feast for the eyes. A Field in England is a what I consider to be a pure cinematic experience. Set during the 17th century English civil war four world weary deserters come across an alchemist (played with menacing gusto by Michael Smiley) who's looking for buried treasure in a field that may or may not have supernatural powers. I'm not going to talk much about the plot, firstly because this film works better going in fresh, and secondly it's completely irrelevant to what the film is truly about.
Ben Wheatley is an incredibly divisive director, you either love or hate his work and this might be his most divisive material yet. As someone who's a big fan of his work this film was everything I could've hoped for. I'm not someone whose main focus on a film is the plot, film in my opinion is first and foremost a visual medium, and therefore the first thing I look for is how good is the visual experience. Most films are 'pretty' to look at, which is fine, but then there are those rare films where the visual storytelling is so powerful it evokes emotions in you. This film had that through it's entire run-time, I never took my eyes off the screen. I was transfixed by this incredible piece of work. (the last time I've been physically moved by film/TV was the atomic bomb episode of Twin Peaks) It's not something that happens often, so when it does it's a testament to how effective the film was.
Whilst i'm on the subject of Lynch this film seemed like it was heavily influenced by Lynch's early works such-as Eraserhead. There's one scene in particular, a three minute tracking shot of a man walking out of a tent in slow motion, that was hauntingly beautiful whilst being deeply unsettling and that's the best way to summarise this film. The film is also accompanied by Jim Williams score, which is one of the most impressive, atmospheric scores I've heard in a very long time.
The screenplay is expertly written by Wheatley's wife and long time collaborator Amy Jump. It's a film that works on multiple levels depending on what you take away from the film. It's a story that can be easily explained, essentially the characters take mushrooms and go on a bad trip, which works on a surface level. However there's deeper symbolism and metaphors to be found, are the characters in purgatory? Are they going through the nine circles of hell, as they take on 'the Devil' as Smiley's character is constantly referred to as being. It's a film that allows you to take any explanation you want based on the experience you have with the film.
A Field in England is a provocative surrealist masterpiece, that solidifies Wheatley as one of the most impressive, creatively bold directors working in cinema today!
Ben Wheatley is an incredibly divisive director, you either love or hate his work and this might be his most divisive material yet. As someone who's a big fan of his work this film was everything I could've hoped for. I'm not someone whose main focus on a film is the plot, film in my opinion is first and foremost a visual medium, and therefore the first thing I look for is how good is the visual experience. Most films are 'pretty' to look at, which is fine, but then there are those rare films where the visual storytelling is so powerful it evokes emotions in you. This film had that through it's entire run-time, I never took my eyes off the screen. I was transfixed by this incredible piece of work. (the last time I've been physically moved by film/TV was the atomic bomb episode of Twin Peaks) It's not something that happens often, so when it does it's a testament to how effective the film was.
Whilst i'm on the subject of Lynch this film seemed like it was heavily influenced by Lynch's early works such-as Eraserhead. There's one scene in particular, a three minute tracking shot of a man walking out of a tent in slow motion, that was hauntingly beautiful whilst being deeply unsettling and that's the best way to summarise this film. The film is also accompanied by Jim Williams score, which is one of the most impressive, atmospheric scores I've heard in a very long time.
The screenplay is expertly written by Wheatley's wife and long time collaborator Amy Jump. It's a film that works on multiple levels depending on what you take away from the film. It's a story that can be easily explained, essentially the characters take mushrooms and go on a bad trip, which works on a surface level. However there's deeper symbolism and metaphors to be found, are the characters in purgatory? Are they going through the nine circles of hell, as they take on 'the Devil' as Smiley's character is constantly referred to as being. It's a film that allows you to take any explanation you want based on the experience you have with the film.
A Field in England is a provocative surrealist masterpiece, that solidifies Wheatley as one of the most impressive, creatively bold directors working in cinema today!