I had heard some solid buzz about this. Plus, with this having an intriguing plot synopsis and solid firepower in the casting department, I had a curious approach to this feature.
From the opening credits featuring a score giving off early vibes of a fairytale, I was an open book ready to absorb what was about to come my way.
Throughout I had no clue where it was going and kept me engaged throughout. I really liked the concept and how it was not afraid to play around with its own tone and ideas.
I detected a surprising but welcoming style of humour that had mixes of Monty Python and Taika Waititi. It wasn't afraid to mix the heavy violence and still make it comedic. There was even one moment of self-aware humour that used a pop culture reference which was cleverly executed and got the biggest laugh out of me.
The performances were pretty good on the whole. Leading the way was a strong performance by Darrion Hermann. I had never heard of him a few days ago. Now I've seen him in two films and he has already shown a good amount of range and the capability to lead a film.
Mia Wasikowska had solid and believable chemistry with Hermann and reminded us how talented she is. It's a shame that most people still just associate her with Alice In Wonderland.
There were some nice memorable performances in the minor roles. Especially by Benedict Hardie and Terry Norris who seemed to perfectly fit the tone throughout with some nice comedic moments.
As mentioned before, I enjoyed the score. It felt complete, adventurous and yet consistent at the same time. It's one that I would happily listen back to.
The production design and accompanying costumes were all on point and blended well with the woodland location.
The writing was a nice showstopper and it was very clever in its black comedy style that I feel will be the big hook in making it accessible to a mainstream audience.
Despite there not being any noticeable drawbacks, I still can't quite give it an exceptional rating. It's hard to explain why. But I think everythingwas just done to a good level with occasional moments of great. I think in the end it just ended up being all about how strong the positives were.
This was a lot of fun, unpredictable and consistently funny. It's not going to win any awards. But for the sheer fun factor, I can see this being enjoyed by many.
Seeing films like this still amazes me that despite people moaning of unoriginality, there are films like this with an original approach. It's just a matter of putting the work in to discover them yourself.
Rating: 7/10
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