Lamb

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 ...

Lamb is a suspenseful and artistic film that showcases some great performances. I loved its beautiful cinematography and stunning colour palette. I also found it's themes of parenthood, loss and isolation interesting. At times, I wondered if the makers were commenting on real-world issues such as The Stolen Generation of Indigenous children in Australia.

But, as interesting as the concept was, the storyline just felt a little thin and not enough happened over the 90 minutes. Also, I don't think this film has been categorised correctly. There are a couple of violent scenes, but Lamb doesn't really qualify as a horror in my opinion. Instead, I'd describe it as a 'folk drama'.

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.

The story that "Lamb" tells is so bizarre that I imagine just coming up with it would warrant an involuntary admission to an inpatient psychiatric hospital. I, for one, definitely felt like I needed to give myself over to the authorities after watching this movie - not because I committed any crime, but instead to allow the detectives to piece the plot together for me. "Lamb" is either a surrealistic folktale that its audience is meant to take very literally, or a sort of metaphorical, symbolic tale that we are supposed to decipher through careful observation of the film's characters. And truth be told, however you decide to view this film, it works.

Whether you want to watch this movie with the viewpoint that everything it is showing you is actually happening or with the perspective that there is something deeper beyond the surface level, "Lamb" does require a certain amount of effort from the viewer in order to be fully compelling - you'll know within the first 60 seconds of the movie starting whether or not it's your cup of tea. To give you an example of how polarizing this movie is, during my showing three teenage males walked out after about 20 minutes, and one girl was so bored and in a rush to exit the cinema that she actually fell down the stairs. That's right, "Lamb" is single handedly responsible for what I imagine could have only been the breaking of one of her bones, because upon her tumble she started sniffling and crying like a newborn baby - at the least, she's sure never to forget this movie experience! But by no means do you have to go on and break your own bones to find some entertainment value from this movie, as long as you have the patience to sit still and watch it.

If you don't like slow movies, you won't like this - it's that simple. "Lamb" features long, drawn out scenes of (gorgeous) Icelandic scenery, minimal dialogue, and characters doing random things such as tending to their fields, helping sheep give birth, and dancing (what A24 film doesn't have dancing at this point? It's becoming their staple). Not until Ada is introduced does the movie start to slightly pick up some steam. And who is Ada? Well, you know from the trailer: Ada is the baby lamb that our two main characters start to take care of as if it were their own child.

"Lamb" markets itself as a horror film, but it is anything but. It can be considered a drama, but to be honest it isn't very dramatic. Yes, there is some drama in it, as well as a few scenes of suspense, but as a whole, when you watch this movie, you're watching a movie about a couple take care of a baby lamb - that's the spoiler-free synopsis. Sure, there is more at play here than just that, but that's basically the gist. And if that sounds entertaining to you, then you'll probably like this movie. If that sounds boring to you, then you'll want to avoid this film like the plague. There are some slight twists and turns that may manage to catch your attention, but most of them will be too little too late, especially for viewers who aren't initially captivated by the hypnotic tone and snail-like pace.

Look, I don't have much to say here. With its bonkers plot, stunning scenery, and excellent acting, I found myself mildly entertained throughout the film. And if you're not excruciatingly bored while watching this movie, then I believe that you will also find something to enjoy. However, if slow burn films aren't your thing, then by no means should you watch this. Does "Lamb" fit into the October, Halloween theme? Not at all, but if you want to watch something extremely different, then give this a go.

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.