40 ACRES
Directed by: R T Thorne
Starring: Danielle Deadwyler, Kataem O'Connor, Milcania Diaz-Rojas, Michael Greyeyes, Leenah Robinson
Set in a post-apocalypse, where 95% of the world's crops have been wiped out by a deadly fungus, the Freeman family run a small farm. Following the strict rules laid down by their mother, Hailey, the family have learned to fend off marauders, but a deadly threat is heading their way…
40 Acres doesn't deliver anything particularly fresh - it riffs on other films - but even so, it does deliver a high quality blend.
The film starts with a scroll, not dissimilar to the recent Superman, giving us a few headlines to get us up to speed. Then, a dozen people break into the farm… at this point we have no idea Whether they are the protagonists or not, but it soon becomes clear that these people are looking to take what isn't theirs. It makes a nice introduction to the ruthlessness and ingenuity of the Freemans and what they are capable of.
The film is neatly divided into three parts: the first shows us the daily routine for the family, focusing on Manny in particular, as he checks the perimeter fences and works out, and Hailey, as she tries to keep in contact with other farmsteads nearby. Hailey is an ex soldier, who had fought in a civil war in the USA, and has come back with harrowing tales. She has instilled a deep sense of isolation in her family to keep them safe. Her husband, Galen, helps bolster this. Occasionally there are supply runs to a barter drop point, which brings with it its own level of danger.
The second part focuses more on Manny who helps a young woman, called Dawn, who appears at their fence, apparently injured. He knows his mother will not approve and has to hide Dawn in a barn. They share some sweet moments but the audience is all sweaty palms because its only a matter of time before his parents find out and things might get brutal.
The third act ramps up the tension and the action. A recon of a neighboring farm (where Dawn has come from) leads to disaster; meanwhile the cannibals are starting to descend on the Freeman farm, which only has half of its family to defend it. Both scenarios are full of strong, brutal action and scary moments. But through it all, the Freeman’s spirit, courage and fearlessness endear them to the audience.
THE VERDICT
R T Thorne’s film provides a realistic world-ending event (this could be considered a distant cousin of COVID) and a family to root for. The events of the film may feel familiar but it is rare for things to be handled so well. The action is very well handled, with visceral blood splatters and multiple gunshots. I was reminded of Mike P Nelson’s THE DOMESTICS, and really the two films could exist in the same universe. While this isn’t as showy as SINNERS, it is of the same calibre of genre film-making.