40 Acres

Grade: B

40 Acres could have easily been a typical jump scare cannibal gorefest. The cannibal piece is but a subplot, secondary to something deeper and richer. More than anything else the film offers us, it’s a wonderful paean to family and community. Except for one disappointing choice that I’ll get to in a minute, so much of the movie sidesteps all kinds of cliches and tropes, in a most refreshing way. It’s as much about cannibals as Sinners is about vampires.

Just a few months after Blumhouse’s The Woman in the Yard, Danielle Deadwyler is still dealing with people in the yard. Writer/director R.T. Thorne makes an impressive feature film debut with 40 Acres. His previous credits include short films, guest-directed episodes of a few streaming series, and many many music videos. The latter does not surprise me, as here, he very effectively uses music to underscore emotional beats.

Fourteen years before the events of 40 Acres, a fungal pandemic wiped out almost all animals, and two years after that, another civil war broke out. Deadwyler is the matriarch of a family of six. They have the post-apocalyptic routine down. Their rare, highly sought-after farmland is closed off with electric fences and barbed wire. If they see anyone on their property, they shoot first, and might not even ask questions later.

The cannibals take their time to show up, and are not the main focus. The film takes its time establishing these characters, and giving us a thorough look at their teamwork and resourcefulness. Deadwyler doesn’t trust anyone, and conveys her character’s paranoia through wide open, buggy eyes. She is a master when it comes to diction and delivery – always interesting to listen to. There is a third-act confrontation which is inventively staged. It’s the middle of the night, and the power is cut. We hear plenty of commotion, but only see quick flashes of action, strobe style, as a weapon is fired. Makeup and practical effects depicting various wounds are convincing. There are funny moments that sneak up on you. When these emerge in a film that is not otherwise a comedy, they are moments of relief from the heaviness.

The movie makes a very safe choice at the end – the kind I thought was beneath it. I was about to give it heavy kudos for having the courage to follow through with something it seemed to be setting up, but then…never mind, here’s a cheap fakeout/reveal. It’s enough to make me dock the grade, when so much of it deserved the next highest one. However, I still think non-squeamish moviegoers would really enjoy 40 Acres. It’s underrated, and should be making a lot more noise at the box office.

Grade: B