Connect with us
While the completely fictional world creating in 'The Wanting Mare' is astonishingly rendered, its story leaves a lot to be desired.

Film

‘The Wanting Mare’ Leaves us Wanting More

While the completely fictional world creating in ‘The Wanting Mare’ is astonishingly rendered, its story leaves a lot to be desired.

Chattanooga Film Festival 2020

The Wanting Mare raises the bar for the kind of special effects possible in an independent production. Filmed over five years, a small team of ten managed to keep the production costs light, filling in over 650 VFX shots through their own money and fundraisers alone. The result is the magnificently rendered, almost completely digital city of Whithren: replete with grand towers looming over its subjects, cities ablaze in light, and night-time ships covered in dust and fog. A stunning and inspirational achievement, it’s only a shame this world isn’t explored in any meaningful way. 

Moira (Jordan Monaghan) is born in the city, where horses run free across its outskirts. Once a year, these horses are trapped and sent to the southern city of Levithen, a place caught in constant winter. Like in any good myth, the girl’s mother dies in childbirth, leaving her to fend for herself. Yet somehow this dream of travelling to this foreign city — where ship tickets are rare — is kept alive, passing through the generations in this epically conceived fantasy tale. 

Science-fiction need not be full of grand gestures or fast-paced action, but it can also be contemplative and philosophical. The Wanting Mare creates a stagnant, mostly empty world filled with desire; for an imagined past, and a possible future. But we never make it towards the past or the future, The Wanting Mare repeating two similar stories of man versus woman with mythical tones but little psychological depth. 

Digital effects maestro slash debut director Nicholas Ashe Bateman has poured his heart and soul into the project, which is one of many planned in the fictional world of Anmaere (with future installments in the conception stage). And in terms of its effects, The Wanting Mare feels — bar crowd scenes or an explosion here or there — on par with any big studio production. But what it lacks is a satisfying angle into this world, prioritizing feelings and emotions over any real sense of discovery. While it’s unfair to expect the film to copy big-budget science-fiction such as Oblivion or Elysium, it doesn’t fully commit to the Andrei Tarkovsky or Alexei German slow cinema approach either — enveloping us into a particular mood or tone through slow camerawork and the creation of interesting textures. Another large reason I was taken out of the film was its score — heavy on swelling strings to indicate heavy emotions — and its amateur acting; aping the emotions of Hollywood while still obscuring the film’s central quest. 

I’m not surprised Shane Carruth — a God among DIY directors — is listed as an executive producer. Those who enjoy his films — filled with obtuse plot developments, characters talking to each other rather than the audience, and swelling music pregnant with heavy meaning — will find a lot to enjoy here. Nonetheless, as someone who found Upstream Colour completely incomprehensible and totally unenjoyable, I am probably the wrong target audience for this film. That said, I eagerly await any potential future installments set within this world — hopefully with a budget that allows us to find a more satisfying hook into the story. 

The Chattanooga Film Festival takes place online via 22nd – 25th May. Learn more via the website!

Written By

As far back as he can remember, Redmond Bacon always wanted to be a film critic. To him, being a film critic was better than being President of the United States

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake? Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Celebrity

Jackson Taylor's Death Jackson Taylor's Death

Cause Of Jackson Taylor’s Death: The Shocking Details of His Fatal Accident!

Celebrity

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64? Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Celebrity

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023? Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Celebrity

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband? Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband?

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis’s First Husband?

Celebrity

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet? Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Celebrity

Travis Kelce’s Wife and The Surprising Rise to Fame of Travis Kelce

Celebrity

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Celebrity

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Celebrity

Candace Parker Net Worth: Unraveling the Basketball Star’s Path to Wealth, Legacy

Celebrity

Caliphate Season 2 Release Date Caliphate Season 2 Release Date

Breaking: Caliphate Season 2 Release Date, Cast, Spoilers, Trailer, Plot, and Every Newest Update!

TV

Melissa Rivers’ Engagement

Celebrity

Is Ruth Connell Dating Someone in 2023? All About Ruth Connell Love Life 

Celebrity

Jerry West's Wife: Unraveling the Untold Chapters of a Basketball Icon's Love Life Jerry West's Wife: Unraveling the Untold Chapters of a Basketball Icon's Love Life

Jerry West’s Wife: Unraveling the Untold Chapters of a Basketball Icon’s Love Life

Celebrity

Robert Pattinson and Suki Waterhouse’s Relationship Timeline

Celebrity

Is Tim Duncan Gay? Who is He Dating Now? Is Tim Duncan Gay? Who is He Dating Now?

Is Tim Duncan Gay? Who is He Dating Now?

Celebrity

Connect