A Field in England (2013)

"Field" Day

I wasn't sure what to expect when I sat down to watch Ben Wheatley's "A Field in England", so I decided not to expect anything. What I got was a hallucinogenic fueled hour-and-a-half of pure madness that may well be the best film I didn't quite process properly. In the midst of an English Civil War, four defectors set off to find an alehouse, and instead find a a batch of mushrooms that they consume in a stew. Everything that follows is mind-bending insanity filled with betrayal, violence, and men appearing out of thin air. I mean that literally. A man just appears out of nowhere!

Wheatley's wife, Amy Jump, was responsible for the script, which was smart and often amusing, while director of photography Laurie Rose shot the film in a stunning, almost Bergman-esque, black-and-white style that is absolutely awe-inspiring. She doesn't waste a single frame. The actors give some very able performances, taking Jump's eloquent script, and just run with it. They handle everything that the director throws at them in stride, and seem to be having one hell of a time with it. Ben Wheatley manages to concoct some thrilling images with this movie, especially in its psychedelic climax, and proves that he may be one of the single most interesting directors to keep your eye on in the coming future. I can't illustrate how much this man is going to excite film nerds everywhere.

Grade: A
3D: N/A
Easter Egg: No

Starring: Julian Barrat, Peter Ferdinando, Richard Glover
Director: Ben Wheatley
Writer(s): Amy Jump
RT: 90
Rating: Not Rated (There is Graphic Violence, Drug Use, and Nudity, though)