TADFF XVII Review: In LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP, A Nightmaring, Poetic Redemption Tale
Barbarian star Georgina Campbell leads the cast in Lovely, Dark, And Deep, taking centerstage of Theresa Sutherland’s feature debut for an atmospheric supernatural thriller that’s as moody as it is gutwrenching at times. There’s a thematic pattern of forgiveness that permeates our main character, but that message is shrouded in an almost chilling air appropriate for a film of this genre if you’re the type that prefers cliffhanger closure and edge-of-your-seat uncertainty.
That aesthetic is handed off to us with a script firstly quoting John Muir, and a story that seemingly takes inspiration from the noted author, activist, environmentalist and mountaineer in his studies and appreciation of nature. Our protagonist, Lennon (Campbell) is front and center of all that nature as we follow our main character into her digs as a newly installed backwoods park ranger, with a remote office and nothing but a minimalist setting and all she could bring to live off about and communicate with for the season.
What we come to learn of Lennon, though, is never fully explored though, even as she sits and breaks the ice one early morning with fellow park ranger Jackson (Nick Blood). We know she’s curious about the faces of those pinned on the walls at the ranger base reported as Missing (one such face happens to be that of another ranger who leaves a note on his post outside his cabin, and it’s a pretty grim note at that). We also know she has a discernible reputation that garners her a few unfriendly whispers. We also begin to realize that she carries an affliction that dates back to a personal trauma she underwent from childhood, and that trauma affects her greatly at times.
That’s where the danger escalates, however, when Lennon commits an act of heroism only to be reprimanded by her superiors, including head ranger Zhang (Wai Ching Ho). Understandably she doesn’t know why, but it’s only a matter of time before Lennon’s next excursion finds her descending downward into a nightmare vortex of personal demons, in a realm that reveals the ultimate truth of her mountainous outdoor surroundings and forced to stare down a supernatural evil that wants nothing more than to tempt her and punish her.
As to who and what that entity is an absolute mystery. It comes in a voice. It comes in shadows moving in the dark, and decrepit-looking human figures crawling down trees in the distance. It might even come from memories from her past, manifest before her in life-like illusions that almost feel tangible, and real to the point where the heavy distress and haunting diffidence mirrors what she’s already seen in one woman who apparently went missing.
I’ll leave it to those who’ve seen Lovely, Dark, And Deep to decide if that latter sentence was enough to warrant accusations of a spoiler, try as I may to be as vague in my descriptive rhetoric. What I can say is that whatever antagonistic evil there is in this film is entirely metaphysical and beyond simplistic characterizations.
What remains to be seen is how Lennon’s harrowing journey in the second half of the film plays out and whatever takeaways there may be from your experience here. It’s an finish carried well throughout its runtime by terrific performances from the cast, and topped off with just a touch of the gory and gruesome to package into the gloomy allure for a film like Lovely, Dark, And Deep to guarantee a nightmaring outdoorsy chiller.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!