The first feature-length film directed by Behn Zeitlin doesn't
disappoint. Set in the bayous of Louisiana in a place called the Bathtub,
Hushpuppy (Wallis) and her father, Wink (Henry), struggle to eke out an
existence using a mish-mash of discarded items, hunting, and farming to
survive.
Southern Wild is
told from the perspective of Hushpuppy, the precocious 6-ish year old daughter
of Wink. There's an element of social commentary threaded throughout the film
that is present but not annoying. After the Bathtub floods, the community must pull together to survive, leading
to a convoluted sequence of events, including the freeing of ancient beasts
frozen in icecaps. It's hard to explain succinctly, and it sounds kind of
strange, but it actually works in the film.
The handheld camera work at the beginning is somewhat
distracting, but after losing myself in the story, I can honestly say I don't
remember noticing it anywhere else. The setting is very typical for south
Louisiana, complete with recycling items for completely different purposes than
they were originally intended, such as using the bed of a truck as a boat.
The dynamic between father and daughter is a bit strange to
me as their relationship seems entirely realistic, complete with moments of
exasperation that occasionally border on extreme dislike, but Dwight Henry and
Quevenzhane Wallis both have extremely impressive performances for two people
new to acting. I'm excited to see if either of them receives an Oscar
nomination. With Sundance wins for best cinematography and the Grand Jury
prize, Beasts of the Southern Wild is
one of the most visually stunning films I've seen in a while.
