Opening with a quote by John Muir, the patron saint of the American wilderness, LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP firmly plants the viewer in the world of this environmental, eco-terror. The forest is our setting, but it’s also one of our main characters, angry over the injustices it has experienced and demanding retribution. This land is owed something, more specifically bodies. We are reminded by the park rangers to, “leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories, kill nothing but time.” However, this film poses the question of whether or not it is too late for these platitudes. Have we damaged our relationship with Mother Earth so severely that it cannot be repaired? This question is highlighted even more so by the beautiful setting of LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, full of lush scenery and stunning mountains. Horror feels even more tragic in a place so gorgeous.
LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP is a slow burn, centering on Lennon, a new park ranger played by Georgina Campbell, likely recognizable by most from her star turn in BARBARIAN. Much like in BARBARIAN, Campbell carries the heft of this film beautifully. Her role as Lennon, however, is significantly more reserved. She is a protagonist with very little revealed to the audience right off the bat. Most of the details we get about her come from how other people react to her. People are cautious of her, wary, and unsure. We feel tension in the air when an older couple tells her that her parents must be so proud of her, giving us a lot of information while saying very little. Information is doled out very slowly, emphasizing what is one of the greatest strengths of this movie: it treats the viewer with respect. Far too often, audiences are spoon fed any plot diversion that may even be the slightest bit complex. LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, however, trusts the audience and doesn’t over explain or dumb down any of its elements. It allows you to reach conclusions on your own, creating a more satisfying viewing experience.
Quickly, Lennon’s true purpose for becoming a park ranger is revealed. While on patrol, she is listening to what must be a true crime podcast, discussing this phenomenon of children going missing in National Parks. It’s hard to believe the park rangers are in the dark about what may be causing this, leading to a variety of conspiracy theories. This is an issue personal to Lennon as we see a missing child poster she carries with her, showing a young girl who shares her last name, her sister. This allows the horror in LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP to oscillate between global and much more personal. Lennon is insatiably curious, often to her detriment, and we get the sense that she will not give up until she has all the answers.
These answers aren’t directly shared with the audience, which may leave some viewers of LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, feel like they are leaving with loose ends. The implications are open to interpretation, and the journey to get there is dizzying. Deeply atmospheric, this is a film that bends reality, merging past and present together as it takes the audience for a cosmic ride. What is reality? Is there one reality or does everyone have their own individual reality? And what does it mean to be real anyway? What makes you real and what makes others real? Beautifully shot, and accompanied with some really effective moments of body horror, LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, is a completely original horror movie that showed this writer something I had never seen before which is a rare treat these days. It won’t be for everyone, but there is undoubtedly an audience willing to go along for a trippy, haunting, and visionary ride who will find exactly what they’re looking for in this film.
LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP is now available on VOD.
Tags: Barbarian, Georgina Campbell, John Muir, Lovely Dark and Deep, Rui Pocas, Shida Shahabi, Teresa Sutherland, XYZ Films
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