BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight

A young girl and her father attempt to survive the rising waters in BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD.

Hushpuppy and her father Wink reside in the swamplands of The Bathtub, an area south of the equator that is constantly threatened by mother nature.  The impoverished area is treasured by its residents, Hushpuppy and Wink included, and they resist the urge to dwell with the land folk on the other side of the fence.

In addition to poverty and environmental factors, Bathtub residents also know that the previous rulers of the land, boar-like beasts called aurochs, still lurk in a frozen state.

 

                                                              

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is an original, vague, compelling and frustrating film centered around an authentic culture.  

The context of its culture and undefined structure create an air of uncertainty and intrigue, building suspense and drama through fear of the unknown.  This mystery remains throughout, down to the very last frame, leaving BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD as an unfulfilling and rather pretentious art house exhibition.

The early scenes are the most captivating.  Navigating through the grungy confines of The Bathtub and Hushpuppy and Wink’s lair builds a curiosity for their condition, one which is never fully explained or understood.  

Another bafflingly brutal aspect to BEASTS is the father-daughter relationship between Hushpuppy and Win.  Wink rules with an iron fist, sometimes literally, and the awkward nature of their relationship teeters more towards abuse than tough love.  

The societal statement is also blurred by first time writer-director Benh Zeitlen.  Although Bathtub residents live in a post-Katrina land of swamps, moonshine and poverty, they’re content, actually ecstatic, with their poor living conditions, resisting modern amenities and technology.  Compare this to life on the other side of the fence, and a greater explanation must be given to establish the film’s framework. 

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD is an intriguing picture, one whose ambitious reach seems just out of its grasp.

Grade: C