In The Earth is a trippy horror film that might be a bit too long, and veer off course, but is still more than worth watching.
In The Earth is one of the movies I was most looking forward to during the Sundance Film Festival 2021 and even though it wasn’t as good as I had hoped it would be, I still really enjoyed it. Perhaps I went in with two high expectations. The overall plot and story of In The Earth is very intriguing and it was a fun journey to go on, but it wasn’t perfect.
This movie takes place during a deadly virus – sound familiar? – and starts off with a Dr. Martin Lowery who arrives at a test site for research purposes. Early on himself and a scout, Alma, get attacked and are left out in the woods to fend for themselves. When they meet a stranger who offers to help them, then things take a drastic turn.
What I love about this movie is the suspense and how intense it is once it gets going. It starts off a bit slow, and even veers off course here and there, but the story is strong enough to carry it through. Mythology is a big part of In The Earth, and I hate to explain why for fear of spoiling anything, but it almost becomes too much.
If you know me, you know I love gore and there is a lot of moments that even had me wincing in this one. Close-ups of stiches being done got me and a head wound that constantly hung open. That being said, I kind of loved it at the same time because, well, because I love gore (I know, I am weird).
There are several moments in this film that include a sequence of trippy flashes that worked at first, but then became too much — especially towards the end. In The Earth seems to portray the effects of isolation. It is very much a survival horror movie, and it is absolutely a fun, yet freaky, journey to go on. Lots of incredible visuals, even when they are messing with you a little. A decent story overall and worth powering through the missteps for a very interesting last few minutes.
About In The Earth
As a deadly virus ravages the world, Dr. Martin Lowery embarks on a mission to reach test site ATU327A, a research hub deep in the Arboreal Forest. The arduous journey, guided by park scout Alma, is set back by a nighttime attack that leaves the two bruised and shoeless. When they run into Zach, a man living off the grid, they gratefully accept his help. Zach’s intentions aren’t exactly what they seem, however, and a path out of the forest and into safety quickly fades as the line between myth and science blurs.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.