10 Best 2021 Films You Probably Haven't Seen
8. In The Earth
Don't sleep any longer on the latest film from Ben Wheatley, which despite being filmed over a mere 15 days mid-pandemic last summer, is the director's best film since his 2011 hit Kill List.
It's a movie absolutely worth watching while knowing as little as possible, and while undeniably inspired by the ongoing pandemic, is also detached enough from it to function on its own narrative terms.
Taking place in a future where a virus has wiped out most of humanity, In the Earth focuses on a scientist, Martin Lowery (Joel Fry), who embarks on a journey through a dense forest to reach a research site.
Unsurprisingly Lowery has no idea what's awaiting him in the forest, and what follows is a film that continually uproots expectations as it drags the viewer deeper and deeper down an increasingly surreal rabbit hole.
The moment you think the story is about one thing, it switches stances to become something else, culminating in a stunning, difficult-to-categorise third act spectacle which truly needs to be seen to be believed.
As a strong showcase for its talented rising cast and a reminder of Wheatley's penchant for visceral horror, In the Earth is one of the year's most sensual and unforgettable cinematic experiences so far.