filmbore pick of the week - A Field In England

A Field In England

Director: Ben Wheatley

Screenplay: Amy Jump

Starring: Reece Shearsmith, Michael Smiley, Ryan Pope

Year: 2013

Language: English

UK rental release: July 2013

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Ben Wheatley's new film has changed the way that movies are released, by simultaneously releasing A Field In England on multiple mediums (cinema, streaming, TV on demand, DVD, BluRay) all on the same day. More importantly, it's one of the oddest but most brilliant quests I've seen in recent years. A journey into cryptic and psychedelic world of mushroom circles... 

Running from a battle during the English Civil War, a collection of unusual men cross paths. Unsure which side each is on, even with some suspicion, the deserters form an alliance and flee the foray, and decide en route to look for a nearby inn to settle their differences over cards and ale. 

They take rest in a nearby field and start to make a soup, adding to the broth some locally picked mushrooms of unknown origin. Cutler (Ryan Pope, better known as Psycho Paul from Ideal - TV Series) is responsible for adding the magic fungus to the food, maybe to manipulate the others, but one of gang won't touch the dangerous grub.

This means that Whitehead (Reece Shearsmith, of The League Of Gentlemen - TV Series fame) can keep his wits about him. Educated, religious but cowardly, he has been tasked with locating an alchemist who shared the same master as him; to detain him on behalf of his lordship for stealing documents on pagan rituals.

Shortly after their makeshift feast, the "shrooms" start to kick in. As those that had partaken in Cutler's cocktail lose their grip on reality, things are about to take a turn into the even weirder. Through a peculiar tug-of-war against an unknown force, a man is summoned - a visionary alchemist, O'Neill (Michael Smiley, Kill List, Spaced - TV series fame), who takes but a few moments to capture the travellers.

Cutler is an aide to O'Neill, to the surprise of his fellow absconders. Yet, this is the same man that Whitehead seeks. But O'Neill on a mission of his own. There's hidden treasure in this field and, craving to be an expert in darker magic he'll seek high an low for it using any means of enchantment necessary. 

But as their journey continues, there may be a treasure of a different kind awaiting them.

Even with its intense opening, A Field In England starts calmer and lighter than Wheatley's other pieces. This doesn't last for long though! Sinister, creepy moments become more frequent as the story unfolds, and our director's trademark moody, eerie tones are present as always.

Disorientating, even if set in one field the plot is initially perplexing, as it's supposed to be. Centred around the enigma behind mushroom circles, where time moves slower, it feels like another world. As our unlikely heroes venture further into their captor's depraved desires, they fall victim to all manner of despair and confusion. There is clear paranoia between our wandering soldiermen too, fueling the already present tension between the characters even more.

Of course, Wheatley's obscure humour is peppered amongst the tale, even popping up during the story's darker moments. One successful element to this is the underlying thread of the importance of unlikely friendship from strangers and the natural comedy this can provide. In a similar vein to my pick-of-the-week last Friday (check out the review of the brilliant Untouchable here), companionship can emerge from the most unlikeliest of places yet, even though theoretically the same in both films, the execution of this philosophy couldn't be any more different.

The other component to the comical feel is thanks to some terrific performances from this small cast, most especially from Reece Shearsmith in the lead as Whitehead. In his mainly televisual career, Shearsmith has succeeded, not only in demonstrated the colder side to comedy with The League Of Gentlemen, but by displaying incredible talent as an actor in any role he plays. I hope he finds more cinematic platforms on future outings, and I offer that opinion to the rest of the cast too. Michael Smiley has had some success in this area, but mostly thanks to Wheatley's current cannon of movies, so I hope more offers are on the table after this.

It helps that there's some great dialogue for our cast to play with, thanks to a wonderful script penned by our director's regular collaborator, Amy Jump. Her witty scribes are handed out in both the comical uttering and the educated retorts. It warms slowly and by the end of the piece that are incantations are one-liners galore. 

 The choice to pen this story in this setting is intriguing also. The English Civil War clearly brings essences of back story through its historical heft: fear of death, depravity, even starvation and the will to survive - bundled in an skewed view on humanity and honour. Yet, it also serves the film artistically, painting this story with presence and demure palettes, infusing the plot with more off-balanced vision. This tale doesn't need to be set during the English Civil War (except for a general time-frame for mushroom circles) but it's all the better for it.

Taking the insanity further there's vast juxtaposition in the musical choices as well. Droning bass moods or plagiarised nursery rhymes, it's difficult to ignore the score. In fact, overall there is a sensational use of sound. And not just through the music but in the placement of dialogue through the more dreamlike sequences, broken-down audio though the slo-mo shots, even the detail in the gruesome snapping and squelching of a blown ankle. It's a key supporting character to the whole piece, lacing the tale with an unlikely cousin to the bizarre and highlighting the deft hand that Wheatley and his crew contort through their craftsmanship in the medium of cinema.

The audible beasts on show help to influence a purposeful disjointed vibe flowing through the piece; a curious blend of high definition quality filming, period setting art-house shooting, black & white colour scheme - all ingredients brewed together in a somewhat unexpectedly comfortable, albeit deliciously uncomfortable way. Lens flared, softened shots add a hue of art to the already stunning mixture of camera work. But it's Wheatley's toying with unusual lenses that elevates the imagery here. Cheap but effective, with the combining of old plastic lenses with found telescopic parts and other maverick camera accessories, Wheatley has comprised an optical treat of both warm and warped visual splendour. I like it when a director goes all "experimental" with their filming techniques.

This is realised through another form throughout the piece too. At points, key scenes are bookmarked by unconventional shots of our cast holding poses like the main articles of a still-life painting, highlighting the pending moments we are about to witness. These aren't stills, however, but "tableaux vivants" or "living pictures" - filmed passes of our actors freezing in postures in order to express their dilemmas and intentions. As odd as this sounds, this technique is beautifully effective. Tableaux vivants have been used on film before, but not as directly and bluntly as laid before us here. It's a pure way of breaking the fourth wall and a powerful method to both structure the plot and imbue the tonal personality of the picture with an aloof, if kooky aspect.

Thanks to stellar editing by both Jump and Wheatley, the experimentation goes further is a particular scene at the turning point of the third act. Involving a plethora of heavy strobing images coupled with "doppelganger-mirror" effects (if anyone knows the real name for this, please let me know) it s astounding! It will knock you sideways and possibly give you nightmares for a month...I know it will for me!

With hallucinations, visions, conjuring...it's a concoction of visceral mystery and down-right obscurity. This field is as left field as it gets, and it's a masterpiece in its own wonky realm! Wheatley's explorations in cinema continue to amaze. As I've said before...I can't wait to see what he comes up with next!

Although blatantly Wheatley, A Field In England is a bizarrely unique and a refreshing angle for this brilliant director. It is stand alone. And with the excellence of this film, he's knocked it out of the park, or field, yet again! That's four for four so far. Can he be stopped?

If you want to read my review of Ben Wheatley's previous three films click on these respective links for Down Terrace, Kill List and Sightseers.

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