2021, Ben Wheatley (High-Rise) -- download
In the Earth is the product of The Pause. Wheatley's production of Tomb Raider 2 died on the vine because of the pandemic, and so Wheatley went back to the ground, building a movie that claims to be the product of a pandemic (the world in the movie has one of its own, something that sounds more dire) but really, it's just a grim, isolationist movie with little cast and probably diminished crew as well. They did what they could do under the restrictions in place at the time. But is it a pandemic movie? No, the plot point barely plays into it.
Martin (Joel Fry, Requiem)is heading into the woods to find out why communication with his colleague Dr. Wendle (Hayley Squires, In Fabric) went dark; four months ago, he received her last letter. He is being escorted by park ranger Alma (Ellora Torchia, Midsommar). Martin is a complainy, city bred researcher recently released from quarantine, not really interested in going into the wood, but something he won't speak of is compelling him to. We get the hint that the work he and Wendle were doing was essential to work on the cure to the pandemic.
Almost immediately the mopey, damp, uncomfortable setting is transformed into torture porn, as Alma and Martin are beaten in the night, in their tents. They awaken without shoes and supplies, but Alma is assured she can get them out. Almost immediately (yup, again), Martin steps on something sharp and slices his foot open, horribly. Almost immediately afterward, they run into Zach, who claims to be living along off the grid. And again, almost immediately he becomes a sinister force responsible for their misfortunes.
At this point, we were not sure if this was going to be the movie, the quick approach into the torture of the pair by a man convinced there is a supernatural spirit in the wood, that he has to praise through worship and ... art -- he takes bad photos of them dressed up in ritualistic garb he fabricates out of tents. This part of the movie drags on, but eventually they do escape into the night, to be "rescued" by Dr. Wendle.
She is also living out here, off the grid (but on some grid, as she has electricity to power her myriad equipment pieces) and continuing her research. Zach is her ex-husband, who is off his rocker but still "researching" the same force as she is --- the forest itself. Or more precisely, some sort of microbial/fungal being that inhabits the entire forest, or in her estimation, all of England. We have seen this idea before, in Star Trek: Discovery and even in an episode of Fringe where fungal growths cover vast expanses and can control or influence all in their domain. Where Zach uses art and worship, Wendle is using sound and light.
Alas they are both utterly bonkers. But not entirely of their own cause. The forest IS releasing some sort of spore into the air, and it DOES affect people. Whether there is some supernatural entity at play, or some sort of vast mushroom being living underneath it all is left up to us to decide. All we know is that it is keeping Martin and Alma confined, and that Zach and Wendle are likely just pawns. It all plays out in repeated scenes of hallucinogenic trips, that tie to an ancient standing stone which Wendle still basically worships.
I am not sure I enjoyed this movie. Maybe I don't get "elevated" movies anymore. I can appreciate his skill at building unsettling movies, but I don't really appreciate the end goal, if there really is any. And if this is his idea of "horror" I am not sure if I will leave Kill List on the list.
