Wildling (2018)

User Review

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  TheMovieDiorama

  5 / 10

  Wildling is a coming-of-age horror fantasy with feral implications. Not something you see everyday, trust me. Part pubescent teen drama, part authentic horror and part whimsical fantasy. Do they all blend together to create an original piece of indie magic? Unfortunately not. A young girl is raised in captivity residing in a remote woodland cabin. She is discovered and must adjust to modern culture whilst on a journey of self-discovery. The initial hurdle that the film needed to jump was originality. It being an contemporary indie flick allowed the art to come forward and convey themes of motherhood and maturity in creative ways. However, despite the best of intentions it was all too familiar with inconsistent narrative tonality. 'Mama' meets 'Room' would be an apt description for the plot. Taking the fairytale horror from the former and embedding it into dramatic scope from the latter. The two didn't blend, at all. The separation from the first half to the second half was resolute. A simple *click* and the narrative shifts as if we are watching two short films consecutively. For what it's worth, both halves were independently engaging. The fantasy horror elements were produced with authentic makeup and succinct gore while the dramatic character development was thoroughly explored. A fantastically committed central performance from Powley who was enigmatic throughout. Wouldn't be surprised if she turned vegetarian after this. Tyler on the other hand, not so much. I just find her weak in everything. She lacks the "oomph" required to elevate the drama. The most unconvincing sheriff ever. Some character relationships, particularly Anna and Ray, were underdeveloped and came across as rushed. I wasn't invested in the chemistry thus consequently resulting in me becoming disinterested in the metaphorical subtext that Böhm attempted to convey. I always say indie films are hit and miss with me, sadly this is a miss. By all means a well produced flick with some interesting genre blends, just bites off more of the hamburger than it can chew. What can I say, not every film is to my taste.

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