2021 / 92m - Spain
Horror
3.5*/5.0*
The Wasteland poster

Watches

January 06, 2022

3.5*/5.0*

A slow burn horror film that thrives on atmosphere. Don't expect any big thrills or easy scares, The Wasteland is a film that takes its time to build up tension (the first half is a pretty straight-forward drama) and only starts capitalizing on the built-up dread in its final third. Whether the pay-off is sufficient depends on how well the first half works for you.

A family lives distanced from society, as it is ravaged by war and greed. They live a sober but decent life, until a man arrives at their domain and kills himself. The father wants to return the corpse to the man's family and decides to search for them. When he doesn't return, solitude, despair and fear begin to take over.

The cinematography is well above par and the tiny cast does an excellent job. There are some minor pacing issues during the first half and the monster isn't quite as scary as it could've been, but I really loved the finale and people looking for a more stylish horror flick won't be disappointed. Quality genre film making.