A Field in England Reviews

To say that Ben Wheatley is one of the freshest voices in modern cinema is an understatement. That distinction, however, does not come without controversy. While few would deny that his pictures defy the stale formulas of filmmaking, there is something of a divisiveness regarding their content. In short, it is not uncommon to see outright aversion to his offerings, some even going as far as to call his work pointless or confusing. Well, if you were on that bandwagon then A Field in England will do little to change that train of thought. In fact, it might be his most aggressively obtuse flick yet and it will, most likely, alienate a large portion of the viewing audience.

However...

If you happen to already enjoy Wheatley's work, love being challenged by what you watch, partake of arthouse cinema, or just want to experience something completely out of left, er, field, then perhaps this will suit you just fine. Just fine, indeed. 

The story follows a motley crew of apparent deserters during the English Civil War. Each hail from a distinct strata of society and carry their distinct motives and secrets. Thus are planted the seeds of imminent fractious discord even as they unite to find their way out of the vast field they've escaped into and toward freedom. But much will happen before they clear the stretch of land, men's constitutions will change, true faces will be revealed, and mind-bending elements will come into play as they discover that the hellish misery of existence rages on beyond the battlefield and perhaps far beyond that. 

A Field in England is ultimately a film about unworthy men facing their unworthiness in others. Presenting a panoply of themes centering around redemption, cowardice, cruelty, dominance, and fealty (among others), the picture exposes the viewer to the ugliness of mankind's ways in the roughest of fashions. However, not everything is as direct as it sounds as Wheatley constantly toys with surrealism, shades of occultism, and nightmare logic to both mystify and illuminate those who dare venture further into the film's complexities. 

The presentation is both visceral and beautiful with its black and white cinematography that stuns with its crispness at times, and disorients with a feverish haze at others. Slow motion and tableau vivant are used to great effect to underline atmosphere or the shift of power dynamics in the group, respectively. The editing is a work of art that can be admired on its own, especially as we rush into the psychoactively influenced third act. Of course, the very capable cast keeps the viewers engaged even at the film's most nebulous moments with their tug of war of rapport and friction.

This is very much a film that could fit perfectly into the horror genre despite its lack of any of the usual tropes that define it. It is a story of the horror of existence and what hell we may be forced to live in for our unworthy ways. This is not a film for everyone, it is a film for few but I guarantee those few will fall madly in love with it. As for those who don't, something about it will stay with you. Perhaps you'll remember it for never giving up its secrets to you or perhaps you'll remember it with the abject terror of someone who has made a gut-wrenching discovery about human nature, but you'll remember it. 

A Field in England is a monumental achievement in arthouse cinema, despite its very minimalist and humble approach. A viscerally bleak and thoroughly uncomfortable trudge through the most uncomely aspects of men. 

Director Ben Wheatley and writer Amy Jump are doing something very unique here, something I haven't ever seen before, and take some filmmaking risks that ultimately pay off for a movie that is straightforward and yet deeply difficult to describe in detail. A black and white film set some time in the 1640's in the English countryside, we follow four deserters of their country's civil war who leave the battle behind and choose to seek respite at a pub across a field. Ingrained with superstition, fairy tales and folklore, their simple trip turns sharply strange, leaving the viewer disoriented in a constant state of unknowing, questioning the reality of the situation and feeling as helpless as the characters. I was impressed by the acting of each of the main characters, but particularly stunned by Reece Shearsmith as Whitehead. Powerful images, haunting scenes, and a brilliant soundtrack make this clever low budget folk horror movie stand out as a triumph of modern cinema.