Lamb

I've not watched much Icelandic cinema. So I can't tell you if this is typical. I can tell you it's good though. It's sparse and wintery as you might guess. It's also a bit dark and magical. Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guõnason) live on a remote farm. It's quiet, idyllic. Lots of hard work and they're vastly outnumbered by animals. They seem lonely. Unhappy even. Something missing. Iceland looks incredible. Almost unreal and it's used to great effect. It's all beautifully shot, from the amazing mountain vistas to the barns housing the sheep they tend. They're lives are changed, seemingly for the better when a new lamb is born, a little different from the rest. It's clear that shes used to mask an earlier unseen loss and for this reason things are going to end badly. Now this newborn creature is quite literally fantastic. So much so, it could rip you right out of the otherwise believable narrative, but she's so adorable you just go with it. Things get a little more complicated when Ingvar's brother Pétur (Björn Hlyner Haraldsson) turns up, but that's really not the half of it. Calling this Lamb and having one with such an arresting role is misleading though, there's a lot more to unpack. Iceland is gorgeous. Lambs are very cute. Loneliness is deadly.

While I basically agree with the main statement the film makes, and perhaps the statement is even timely to some degree. However the film starts to feel very ho-hum nearing the midpoint. It's not all that interestingly told, nor does it come across as a meditation on it's main idea or ideas as well as it was likely intended to. To me it spent too much time in nowhere land. Perhaps if I understood Icelandic I would have gotten more out of it, I'm not entirely sure about that. Also, this is really not a horror film at all. It's somewhat dark, like an old folktale but mostly quite overt and not at all scary. I was enjoying the film for the first while, it sets up reasonably well, but it really never ends up giving you much of anything very interesting to chew on. There likely is some symbolism in the film that I didn't fully unravel; However what is here really seems too unimportant to care much for given the overall fairly aimless and stale feeling the film mostly has past the midway point. It's all very simple for the most part and in the end, a little silly really. This could've possibly made a great short film. There just isn't enough heart or guts or real substance in the film to be a feature in my view. It's not bad, but I would say skip it unless you're really into these kinds of old folktales. I love a good thinker and a good slow burn, but honestly there's not all that much here to think about. It tries to strike a fire in the viewers mind perhaps, but there's not enough fuel to light it and nothing much to burn. 5.5/10.

"Lamb" is one of those movies that even after you watch you still try to take in and process it, call it what you want drama, or thriller it's one strange mixed film with love and realism. Set in rural Iceland on a farm a couple named Maria(Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar enjoy life only something is missing and that is they are childless something that is a place in their heart that is burning and dripping.

So aside from the hard work of farming and feeding the place is surrounded with animals they have a dog and cat, yet lamb come into play a flock of beautiful sheep. Then things get strange and crazy when a calf is delivered and born as it is then raised as the couple's own and feels like a human baby. The film shows the strain and attachment of worry, love, and uncertainty. Only in the end the picture twist like a strange folk fairy tale. Overall "Lamb" may not be liked by everyone still it's worth a watch for it's different and strange feel as it leaves a viewer to think and process it's meaning and story of life and love.

There are certain things that can not be explained. And then even if they are explained - you do not get the full explanation. You just get an answer to one question - but there are so many other questions that open up. One thing that is for sure, as our two main characters do not question certain things, you shouldn't either - you will likely have less fun, if you try to depict things that happen and the sense they may or may not make.

Yes even in the realm of the world the movie is playing in. There is not much dialog here, but the sound design and the cinematography make up for that - and for the movie being slow paced. You have to be into that sort of films to consider watching this. I had no idea what the movie would do - and I would say I was kind of shocked by certain reveals. But it does make sense - if you think of the beginning and where it ends. Even if you may have wished a different one ... just don't start asking ...

I wouldn't categorize Lamb as a horror movie, more a mystery drama. In my case I figured out the "mystery" from almost the beginning but still it's worth a watch. It's not fast paced, but it's well filmed and the acting is more than decent. Strange to hear Noomi Rapace speaking Icelandic for the first time in a movie. Strange is also the plot, a bit weird but that doesn't mean bad. It's probably not going to be to everyone's taste but if you have an open mind and like something different you might enjoy this one.