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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
If you like movies that smell like old film stock and pine needles, maybe. It’s for the folks who want to see men in wool sweaters looking very stern at each other while leaning on fence posts. If you need pacing that doesn’t feel like it’s taking a nap every ten minutes, you should probably skip it. It’s not exactly The Pest, if you catch my drift.
There is this one shot of the forest—just a plain, quiet clearing—that goes on forever. It’s almost like the camera operator forgot they were still recording. You can practically hear the wind through the trees while the actors stand there waiting for a cue. It’s weirdly hypnotic, in a 'did they fall asleep?' kind of way.
The whole conflict centers on this water source. The engineer guy is trying to be all modern and logical, and you can see why he thinks he’s right, but the movie really wants you to side with the misty, mystical vibes of the valley. It feels a bit like watching a debate about urban planning, but with more dramatic hats.
I couldn't help but think about how different this is from the frantic energy in something like Crimes Square. Here, things don't happen; they settle. It’s a slow burn that barely manages to ignite.
It lacks the punch of Road House, obviously. But there’s a strange, dusty charm to watching people argue over a mountain spring in black and white. It’s not going to change your life, but it’s certainly… a movie that exists. 🏔️
Sometimes I think modern films move too fast. Then I watch something like this and realize that maybe, just maybe, they have a point. It’s a bit of a slog, honestly. But for a Sunday afternoon when you have nothing to do but stare at the ceiling, it fits the bill.