Kudos for minimalistic dialogue. The scenery and action certainly kept me fascinated and hooked enough to stick with the characters' story. But, in the end, I needed more there there to believe I had a completely satisfying experience viewing this movie. I expected some sort of point to be reached or be made about what I was seeing. I was never really sure what sort of conflict was happening. What was the man's role in the conflict and why did he feel ultimately trapped. What were they carrying or smuggling? Who ended up with the bag in the end and how did this affect our characters?
I did love the patient melting of his icy demeanor as they tromp together cross-country. In fact, right after the child is shot, we see the man has relented to carrying the heavy cargo. A pivotal point is an implied off-scene rape. But I found the woman's after-reaction unconvincing, which destroys the drama of the moment when her companion discovers her. All we see is a crumpled skirt; she appears otherwise fine. Histrionics I abhor but come on -- this was WAY underplayed to the point I wasn't even clear anything horrible had happened.
In the end, the main woman character (who is never named except called "the mule") says "who's there" and the movie ends. What was that? And was her child a hallucination or real? If this is truly a first effort for writer/director, really WOW and I hope I'll see more, but hopefully something less abstract. I do recommend for the acting and atmosphere but just be warned you not like the finale.
I did love the patient melting of his icy demeanor as they tromp together cross-country. In fact, right after the child is shot, we see the man has relented to carrying the heavy cargo. A pivotal point is an implied off-scene rape. But I found the woman's after-reaction unconvincing, which destroys the drama of the moment when her companion discovers her. All we see is a crumpled skirt; she appears otherwise fine. Histrionics I abhor but come on -- this was WAY underplayed to the point I wasn't even clear anything horrible had happened.
In the end, the main woman character (who is never named except called "the mule") says "who's there" and the movie ends. What was that? And was her child a hallucination or real? If this is truly a first effort for writer/director, really WOW and I hope I'll see more, but hopefully something less abstract. I do recommend for the acting and atmosphere but just be warned you not like the finale.