Movie spotlight
Wilderness
When Linda Michaels (Penny Eizenga) wakes to find her teenaged son, Kevin (Jamie Johnston), has left home in the middle of the night, she begins the all-too-familiar search for him in the gritty downtown streets of the city. Kevin refuses treatment for schizophrenia, causing him to become more and more erratic and paranoid.
Insights
Plot Summary
A young couple, Dave and Jo, embark on a wilderness survival course as a form of therapy after the death of their son. However, the course, led by a charismatic but sinister instructor, soon devolves into a nightmarish ordeal. As the instructors' true intentions become clear, the couple must fight for their survival against increasingly brutal challenges and the unforgiving environment.
Critical Reception
Wilderness received a mixed to positive reception from critics, with many praising its unsettling atmosphere and grim realism, while others found its graphic violence and bleak tone to be gratuitous. It has since gained a cult following among fans of extreme and unsettling horror.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its intense atmosphere and raw depiction of survival.
Criticized by some for its excessive gore and bleak narrative.
Seen as a challenging and visceral viewing experience.
Google audience: Audience reviews suggest a polarized response, with many appreciating its intense and unflinching portrayal of a survival scenario gone wrong, while others found the violence and despair to be overwhelming and unpleasant.
Fun Fact
Director Ben Wheatley originally envisioned the film as a lighthearted comedy before deciding to go in a much darker direction.
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