Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) Review

I was very uncertain of what to expect of this film. All plot synopsises of the film have been very unclear, not really giving a good idea of what the film is actually about. If someone asked me to explain the plot of the film, I wouldn’t really manage to properly explain, because looking back at the film, I find it hard to say what plot actually was; yet that’s the thing is that, while watching it I was so absorbed by the film that I didn’t even realize that the film didn’t have a plot. So what actually is the film? Well it is a truly unique metaphorical story about life and survival. The film deals with a wide arrange of themes, however the most present one is that of the fear of those things that we can´t prevent and those where as a child, even our parents cannot protect us.

The first thing you´ll notice with this film is that it looks unlike anything you have seen before. The film has a very real feel to it, yet there is something fantastical about it and it is thanks to great directing that these elements flow together so seamlessly. What Zeitlin has so perfectly captured is the worldview of a six-year old, how we as kids use our imagination to rationalize death, sickness or natural-disasters. I think this is something that is relatable to most people, because while we may not have first-hand experience with natural-disasters, we have seen it on the TV or in newspapers, rationalizing it in our head.

No matter how good everything else is, it is vital for the lead actress do to good, as it is through her eyes we see the story and it is she that has to carry the film. The problem here is that the character is only six-years old and the role does have some pretty difficult scenes, however Quvenzhané Wallis, who was only 6-years old when shooting this film, is extraordinary. She has such a natural performance, which is impressive in its own right for someone her age, however there are some scenes near the end where I couldn’t believe how good she was. Dwight Henry as her alcoholic, abusive father, also a newcomer, is also very good in a fairly complex character and he matched the character´s complexity perfectly.

The film is shot using a hand-held camera, which at first worried me, however I quickly realized how well this worked with the fact that we see this world through the eyes of a little girl and I quickly got over it.

The score is worth a mention and is interestingly enough co-composed by the director himself, impressive!

This is one of the most visually unique films I have seen in a very long time. It is a beautiful and emotional movie, with very strong performances. It never got too sappy or sentimental and kept its consistent tone throughout in a blend of fantasy and reality.

5/5