The reviews for this one seem oddly polarised, so let me state at the beginning that it is neither a 10/10 feature NOR a 1/10.
I loved the idea of a dystopian near-future film taking place in a rural/agricultural setting, and Desolate didn't disappoint. The location chosen is fantastic, the landscape echoing the barrenness and emptiness within the characters. The film is shot beautifully--even if some shots are not as polished as they might be if this were not an indie production.
Speaking of characters, the cast did a wonderful job. Desolate doesn't give you all the answers in exposition dumps; it's a slice of life film in that you need to piece together the story of the world they're inhabiting yourself. I like this, but I admit it can be frustrating.
Will Brittain's Billy starts the story as a kid who is not cut out for the brutal world he's inhabiting, but despite what he does to survive, doesn't lose the inherent goodness that sets him apart from other characters.
Bill Tangradi brings a solemn air of nostalgia to Kyle. He remembers the time before the drought, before their father turned to Stone (pun intended). His is a tragic and somewhat pathetic figure.
Jonathan Rosenthal didn't get enough screentime to really shine as Parker, while Tyson Ritter struck the only bum note as Ned, sometimes playing him a little too overwrought early on in the movie although towards the end he, too, comes into his own as a character.
Natasha Bassett is relegated to role of damsel in distress, but she imbues Kayla with the same innocence that sets Billy apart, and her suffering truly is heart-wrenching.
Callan Mulvey's Van is a mysterious figure. He's in deep with the villains, but he plays all sides; doing whatever it takes to bring in the dollar bills. The movie hints at a past as a lawman in some capacity, but stubbornly refuses to make figuring him out easy. It's a masterful turn by a character actor at the peak of his game.
Special mention has to go to Mark Kassen as Raymond, who is quite a treat to watch-at least for a short while.
The plot is convoluted, and in places somewhat incomprehensible. At one point the characters stop on a road that would seemingly lead them to safety, and it's not clear why they can't continue along it.
But all in all, Desolate is a very accomplished debut feature; it's not by any means perfect, but it marks the people behind it as ones to watch in future.
I loved the idea of a dystopian near-future film taking place in a rural/agricultural setting, and Desolate didn't disappoint. The location chosen is fantastic, the landscape echoing the barrenness and emptiness within the characters. The film is shot beautifully--even if some shots are not as polished as they might be if this were not an indie production.
Speaking of characters, the cast did a wonderful job. Desolate doesn't give you all the answers in exposition dumps; it's a slice of life film in that you need to piece together the story of the world they're inhabiting yourself. I like this, but I admit it can be frustrating.
Will Brittain's Billy starts the story as a kid who is not cut out for the brutal world he's inhabiting, but despite what he does to survive, doesn't lose the inherent goodness that sets him apart from other characters.
Bill Tangradi brings a solemn air of nostalgia to Kyle. He remembers the time before the drought, before their father turned to Stone (pun intended). His is a tragic and somewhat pathetic figure.
Jonathan Rosenthal didn't get enough screentime to really shine as Parker, while Tyson Ritter struck the only bum note as Ned, sometimes playing him a little too overwrought early on in the movie although towards the end he, too, comes into his own as a character.
Natasha Bassett is relegated to role of damsel in distress, but she imbues Kayla with the same innocence that sets Billy apart, and her suffering truly is heart-wrenching.
Callan Mulvey's Van is a mysterious figure. He's in deep with the villains, but he plays all sides; doing whatever it takes to bring in the dollar bills. The movie hints at a past as a lawman in some capacity, but stubbornly refuses to make figuring him out easy. It's a masterful turn by a character actor at the peak of his game.
Special mention has to go to Mark Kassen as Raymond, who is quite a treat to watch-at least for a short while.
The plot is convoluted, and in places somewhat incomprehensible. At one point the characters stop on a road that would seemingly lead them to safety, and it's not clear why they can't continue along it.
But all in all, Desolate is a very accomplished debut feature; it's not by any means perfect, but it marks the people behind it as ones to watch in future.