The Last Great Wilderness [DVD] [2003]

I came to this film with no prior expectations, my interest stemmed from the soundtrack by Scottish indie wayward experimentalists, The Pastels (plus contributions from John McEntire of Tortoise, ex-Vaseline Eugene Kelly, and a certain Mr Jarvis Cocker).

I already owned the soundtrack (which is exceptional imho) and wanted to see how it 'hung' onto the moive.

The film took me by surprise- it unfolds languidly and doesn't feel the need to explain the plot or characters- there are more questions than answers when the film ends, which means for those willing to take the leap you can really become 'involved' and the film can really get under your skin

I understand this may have been pitched in it's marketing as a 'horror' movie or a 'thriller', perhaps this is why people have responded so badly to it, because it's not conventionally either

I think the comparisons with The Wicker Man stand up, also to that other 70's Brit Horror masterpiece, Don't Look now- I'd also add it compares and contrasts interestingly with Shane Meadows excellent 'Dead Man's Shoes'

Avoid if you're looking for easy shocks or a fast-paced action thriller, do give it a chance if you want something with atmosphere and quiet effective mounting tension.

There's also a terrific crossdressing wake.

One of my favourite recent British movies.

The story itself is not too complicated. Two unlikely young men, strangers to each other, hook up and take to the road together. One of them is a former gigolo, who is fleeing the wrath of the husband of one of his clients. The other is a formerly married man who lost his wife to her rock star lover and is now hell-bent on seeking revenge.

While enroute to their respective destinations, they run out of gas and are forced to seek assistance in the desolate countryside in which they find themselves stranded. They come upon a house whose inhabitants seem to be a beat off. The house appears to be a retreat of some sort for some pretty dysfunctional odd ducks. Coupled with the fact that their leader seems to engage in some unusual practices and the ghost of a young woman appears to be walking around at all hours of the day or night, it is a highly atmospheric and slightly creepy place in which to be.

The two men are initially determined to leave as soon as possible, but before they know it, the gigolo seems to have become spellbound by the ghost and his companion has become involved with one of the residents of the house. When they try to leave, fate seems to have interjected itself in a way that prevents them from leaving as planned. The film then careens to a startling conclusion that is quite shocking to the senses.

While the performances range from adequate to brilliant, the problem is that the film ends up being neither fish nor fowl, as it seems that it cannot make up its mind what direction it wishes to take. Consequently, the film ends up losing some of its initial coherence. Still, the film holds promise and is certainly worth a rental.