(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A photographer's road trip takes a dark turn when he befriends a reckless couple, plunging him into a nightmarish neo-noir spiral of unpredictable horror.”
There’s a certain breed of film criticism I’ve always abhorred, and I encourage people to avoid it.
You see, I – like you – don’t need to be told by any brainiac what to think of a particular production. While I can support with some soothsayer given me a bit of a guided tour as to what a particular scene or a winning performance might weigh in any equation, I detest having such arguments handed to me at face value. Film is art; and – as art – it deserves to be evaluated by each and every person who views it. That strain of critic who thinks anyone needs his or her opinion in order to truly appreciate any effort’s highs and lows should be avoided like the plague or – at the very least – like the latest mutation of the cursed COVID.
On the other hand, I can perfectly well appreciate how a viewer who has just completed 2024’s A Desert – from writer/director Joshua Erkman – might take to the internet in search of the answer to the immortal question: “What did I just watch?”
Without divulging too many of the secrets learned along the way, A Desert isn’t easy pickings. It’s the story of a wayward semi-professional photographer who – later in his career – still seeks to find himself in spite of the cost to himself, his art, and his marriage. Equally, it’s the tale of his wife who has never come to terms with the fact that she’s fallen in love with a man some would consider beneath her social station. And in an even stranger turns of events, it’s the account of a disgraced cop-turned-private eye who can’t quite shake the appeal the dark side of police work has given him. Into this mix comes a bit of mystery and murder with some of the seedier characters seen in independent cinema; but all of it proves that answers are easy, especially ones you may spend an entire lifetime chasing.
Frankly, A Desert is the kind of experience – much like the early films of the Coen Brothers or David Lynch – that deserves to be almost entirely unspoiled. At times, it resonates similar to Blood Simple (1984) – a movie I didn’t much particularly care for – or even Fargo (1996) but with vastly less humor. (I don’t think there’s an authentic laugh in here.) Still, other elements vibrate with the same kind of latent intensity that brought Blue Velvet (1986) or Wild At Heart (1990) to critical and commercial success; I’ve no way of knowing whether or not A Desert might eventually attract the same reputation, but it’s definitely struck out on a path where angels fear to tread. That much is certain.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“A photographer's road trip takes a dark turn when he befriends a reckless couple, plunging him into a nightmarish neo-noir spiral of unpredictable horror.”
There’s a certain breed of film criticism I’ve always abhorred, and I encourage people to avoid it.
You see, I – like you – don’t need to be told by any brainiac what to think of a particular production. While I can support with some soothsayer given me a bit of a guided tour as to what a particular scene or a winning performance might weigh in any equation, I detest having such arguments handed to me at face value. Film is art; and – as art – it deserves to be evaluated by each and every person who views it. That strain of critic who thinks anyone needs his or her opinion in order to truly appreciate any effort’s highs and lows should be avoided like the plague or – at the very least – like the latest mutation of the cursed COVID.
On the other hand, I can perfectly well appreciate how a viewer who has just completed 2024’s A Desert – from writer/director Joshua Erkman – might take to the internet in search of the answer to the immortal question: “What did I just watch?”
Without divulging too many of the secrets learned along the way, A Desert isn’t easy pickings. It’s the story of a wayward semi-professional photographer who – later in his career – still seeks to find himself in spite of the cost to himself, his art, and his marriage. Equally, it’s the tale of his wife who has never come to terms with the fact that she’s fallen in love with a man some would consider beneath her social station. And in an even stranger turns of events, it’s the account of a disgraced cop-turned-private eye who can’t quite shake the appeal the dark side of police work has given him. Into this mix comes a bit of mystery and murder with some of the seedier characters seen in independent cinema; but all of it proves that answers are easy, especially ones you may spend an entire lifetime chasing.
Frankly, A Desert is the kind of experience – much like the early films of the Coen Brothers or David Lynch – that deserves to be almost entirely unspoiled. At times, it resonates similar to Blood Simple (1984) – a movie I didn’t much particularly care for – or even Fargo (1996) but with vastly less humor. (I don’t think there’s an authentic laugh in here.) Still, other elements vibrate with the same kind of latent intensity that brought Blue Velvet (1986) or Wild At Heart (1990) to critical and commercial success; I’ve no way of knowing whether or not A Desert might eventually attract the same reputation, but it’s definitely struck out on a path where angels fear to tread. That much is certain.
Furthermore, A Desert far more about atmosphere than it ever is about the story – what with the hints of otherworldly realms and/or influences but never clear-cut explanations – and the viewer’s ability to kinda/sorta suspend a bit of disbelief and roll with where the ride takes you, so I’m hesitant to really divulge all that much. The focus shifts a bit from character to character – sometimes out of necessity – and, as such, some might even have a bit of trouble following it or may question why a certain scene is even in there. Rest assured, Erkman is taking you somewhere: he’s laid done a specific path to follow. Where the difficulty truly comes is when you reach the final destination, and that’s often too late for you to have done anything about it except react … and react many of you most definitely will. For good. For bad. Such is life.
What I will say is that Erkman’s pacing does leave a great deal to be desired. This isn’t to say that some of it isn’t purposeful because, undoubtedly, the director had a method to his madness in mind. As is customary, anyone watching could take issue with whether or not what emerges is the best cut – I would like to have seen a few scenes trimmed. It’s a slow burn – one of the slowest I’ve seen as of late – and yet it’s still exceedingly well done. You’re not supposed to be perfectly comfortable with it, and that definitely shows in just the right spots.
A Desert (2024) was produced by Capes And Fogs and Yellow Veil Pictures. A quick Google.com search indicates that, presently, the film is available theatrical in select locations. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still attest to the fact that this is an extremely well-assembled flick: Erkman knows how to encapsulate an ambiance, and it’ll be grand to watch this storyteller grow. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Recommended, but …
A Desert (2024) will likely split audiences – especially with its kinda/sorta cop-out ending – over its unwillingness to answer even a modest number of questions its mildly labyrinthian plot raises. While I think the right crowd (film festivals, mystery aficionados, and academics) will embrace its ambiguity, mainstream viewers might take issue to being dropped squarely in the middle of the ‘where can you possibly go next’ evasiveness. Let’s just say that film – like life – likely won’t come tied up with a bow and leave it at that. Good performances and a killer neo-noir vibe makes this one definitely worth seeing despite its occasionally laconic pacing.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to A Desert (2024) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
What I will say is that Erkman’s pacing does leave a great deal to be desired. This isn’t to say that some of it isn’t purposeful because, undoubtedly, the director had a method to his madness in mind. As is customary, anyone watching could take issue with whether or not what emerges is the best cut – I would like to have seen a few scenes trimmed. It’s a slow burn – one of the slowest I’ve seen as of late – and yet it’s still exceedingly well done. You’re not supposed to be perfectly comfortable with it, and that definitely shows in just the right spots.
A Desert (2024) was produced by Capes And Fogs and Yellow Veil Pictures. A quick Google.com search indicates that, presently, the film is available theatrical in select locations. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I can still attest to the fact that this is an extremely well-assembled flick: Erkman knows how to encapsulate an ambiance, and it’ll be grand to watch this storyteller grow. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I viewed this one via streaming, there were no special features under consideration.
Recommended, but …
A Desert (2024) will likely split audiences – especially with its kinda/sorta cop-out ending – over its unwillingness to answer even a modest number of questions its mildly labyrinthian plot raises. While I think the right crowd (film festivals, mystery aficionados, and academics) will embrace its ambiguity, mainstream viewers might take issue to being dropped squarely in the middle of the ‘where can you possibly go next’ evasiveness. Let’s just say that film – like life – likely won’t come tied up with a bow and leave it at that. Good performances and a killer neo-noir vibe makes this one definitely worth seeing despite its occasionally laconic pacing.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to A Desert (2024) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
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