This feature film from NEON will be in open theaters and drive-ins April 16th.
English writer/director Ben Wheatley is an independent filmmaker whose eccentric pictures have been gaining attention for more than a decade. Cult titles like Kill List, Sightseers, A Field in England and Free Fire have recently led to the moviemaker being hired to direct a sequel to the big-budget shark movie, The Meg. But when recent world events pushed back the start of production, the director used his time off to return to his low-budget roots. In the Earth is a little pandemic-set chiller that takes viewers to some disturbing places. It’s a mood piece rather than a traditional horror picture and avoids doling out the expected genre film thrills, but does still manage to make the skin crawl.
Research scientist Martin Lowrey (Joel Fry) arrives at a remote wilderness outpost for a study on soil properties. He explains that his mentor Olivia Wendle (Hayley Squires), has been working out in the field and hasn’t responded to his letters in some time. After going through pandemic protocols and waiting to be escorted into the forest by guide Alma (Ellora Torchia), the new arrival learns about a mythic and threatening pagan folktale figure named Parnag Fegg. Martin eventually treks away off Alma, but it isn’t long before they begin feeling a disturbing and supernatural aura from the surrounding trees. A wince-inducing injury slows them down further and the pair encounter a quirky man living in the forest named Zach (Reece Shearsmith), who may or may not be a threat.
The movie is modest in scale, but the stripped-down appearance feels relatable given the current state of the world. Protagonist Martin is a very sweet, likable and too-trusting lead who thinks the best of those around him and attempts to maintain a positive outlook despite having to endure some disturbing situations. Alma also makes an impression as the knowledgeable and capable guide who has seen it all (well, almost everything) and exercises more caution and distrust than the scientist. They quickly develop a rapport that is effective, but doesn’t feel too friendly or familiar given their recent introduction.
While it takes a little bit of time to get going, the foreboding atmosphere generates significant tension. From the point at which these two characters find a disheveled tent and then encounter Zach, there are situations that result in squirminess on the part of the viewers. Thanks to the work of the cast, it is hard to get a read on the new arrival and his true motivations. And when things eventually take a turn for the worse, it results in a few incredibly disturbing scenes. One character’s foot is put through some unsettling acts that won’t be easy to forget. There’s also a grotesque end to one figure late in the feature that makes an impression.
As the injuries pile up and the characters provide rationales for their bizarre behavior, the movie struggles a bit more. The forest simply seems to have an intangible pull that keeps characters on site, which on first viewing does feel like a vague excuse to prevent the leads from leaving and sparing themselves from danger. Of course, the land’s mystical draw can also be used as an excuse for one of the leads acting less bothered than they should be by physical injuries and their confidence in one figure who looks barking mad from the moment they are introduced. The movie may be attempting to show us a mirror and display how badly we behave when isolated and left alone to our own devices, but some of these aspects seem a bit overplayed and underexplained.
Still, the cast are strong and the movie sets up an intriguing scenario, even if some of the scientific mumbo-jumbo about Parnag Fegg isn’t convincing and the finale fails to provide any shocking surprises. If you’re okay with a timely arthouse horror flick soaked in an atmosphere or dread, In the Earth will deliver the goods. It works well-enough as a lockdown-inspired experiment for writer/director Wheatley before he moves on to potentially grander genre film escapades.