A Desert

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1:39

A Desert

Released May 2

1h 42m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

34 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

A past-his-prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him. A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.

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Simon Abrams

RogerEbert.com

There’s only so much room for mystery in a movie whose surreal ambiguity only says so much.

Rated: 2/4

May 2, 2025

Full Review

Calum Marsh

New York Times

It’s a strange film, but it works, and feels grounded, because of its ensemble cast.

May 1, 2025

Full Review

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

AWFJ.org

A Desert should be best celebrated as a Choose Your Own Adventure film for sickos. It has so many dynamic moving parts that are all meticulously and soulfully orchestrated.

Jun 11, 2024

Full Review

C.H. Newell

Father Son Holy Gore

A Desert is an eerie examination of America’s decay, in the landscape and the population, as a photographer seeking the truth accidentally comes upon a horrific truth that will do anything to prevent being revealed.

Rated: 4/5

Jun 26, 2025

Full Review

James Kendrick

Q Network Film Desk

There is a Lynchian ambition to Erkman’s work, and A Desert comes close at times to reaching those strange pinnacles of surreal discomfort that force us to confront the reality of just how dark the world can be.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jun 6, 2025

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Victoria Alexander

FilmsInReview.com

A strong debut movie with a strange, forbidden setting. A terrifying point of view by the director and a true horror tale.

May 24, 2025

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acsdoug D

A nifty modern day noir. Although I thought the ending was a bit weak it's still worth a watch.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/23/25

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inta k

slow paced and gruesome. not my cup of tea, even for horror movies

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

06/23/25

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Bryan C

Really solid acting and story just wish the ending and inevitable payback was a bit more drawn out definitely recommend it

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/23/25

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Kimberly M

A very unique film. B movie but great! It’s not your run of the mill horror film! I highly recommend watching it. Memorable!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/25

Full Review

Stephen C

1 hour and 42 minutes of wonderful "scare you" horror!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/30/25

Full Review

joel g

really the dumbest movie I have ever seen in awhile.. As I was watching I keept thinking to myself that the budget for this movie must have been $200 total as it was poor quality. Looks like it was shot on a camera phone.. Plot was very lame as well. Guy dies in an abandoned house out in the middle of the desert by a drifter.. Horrible plot..

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/21/25

Full Review

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Joshua Erkman

Director

David Yow

Harold Palladino

Kai Lennox

Alex Clark

Sarah Lind

Sam Clark

Zachary Ray Sherman

Renny

Ashley B. Smith

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A Desert: Trailer 1

1:39

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Synopsis

A past-his-prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him. A DESERT is a sun-bleached neo-noir horror film about time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today.

Director: Joshua Erkman
Producer: Hugues Barbier, Joshua Erkman, Justin Timms, Joe Yanick
Screenwriter: Joshua Erkman, Bossi Baker
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Production Co: Capes and Fog, Yellow Veil Pictures
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 2, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 29, 2025
Runtime: 1h 42m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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