Gaia

Play trailer

1:54

Gaia

R

2021

1h 37m

Horror

Drama

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

67 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it's clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness.

Critics Consensus

If its narrative ambitions aren't always equaled by its chilling visuals, Gaia remains an effective slice of ecological horror.

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Phuong Le

Guardian

09/20/2021

3/5

The innovative visual effects, which combine CGI and practical makeup, are truly mesmerising.

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Sheila O'Malley

RogerEbert.com

06/25/2021

3/4

A thought-provoking and disturbing experience.

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A.A. Dowd

AV Club

06/21/2021

C+

Even when the story takes on biblical overtones, the melodrama never blossoms. And in terms of suspense, Gaia doesn't so much tighten the screws as endlessly turn them in the wrong direction.

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Michael Cook

Geek Vibes Nation

07/17/2025

3/5

If you’re looking for a film with amazing visuals that’ll make you think hard about what humanity is doing to the environment, then look no further. But if you’re looking for a more traditional narrative, then this might not be your cup of tea.

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Kyle Logan

Castle of Chills

07/11/2024

4/5

There are so many ideas about humanity’s relationship to the Earth and God, and the aesthetic world is so engaging, that even if the film sometimes feels like a bit of a mess (which it does), it never feels boring.

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Soham Gadre

Vague Visages

01/09/2024

This is rich and fertile soil for a tense movie, and one wishes that Bouwer’s approach tapped more into this innate fear rather than chasing cheap jump-scares. Gaia is the type of movie where an uneasy feeling would elevate the horror so much more.

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Jenny

06/30/2021

Horrible. Waste of time and money.

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Alfonso

06/25/2021

Poor storyline no moral to it

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H Q

06/24/2021

It manages to creatively and hypnotically pull you into its themes without ever being pretentious. It is an important movie rather than just an entertainment one.

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Victoria

06/24/2021

It was really weird and boring

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joseph s

06/21/2021

Very creative, beautiful visuals and sound design.

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Bailey T

06/20/2021

Great visuals. Solid Performances. One of the best Eco Horror entries to date.

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Jaco Bouwer

Director

Monique Rockman

Gabi

Carel Nel

Barend

Anthony Oseyemi

Winston

Alex van Dyk

Stefan

Tertius Kapp

Writer

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Gaia: Trailer 1

1:54

Gaia: Teaser Trailer 1

1:52

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Synopsis

An injured forest ranger on a routine mission is saved by two off-the-grid survivalists. What is initially a welcome rescue grows more suspicious as the son and his renegade father reveal a cultish devotion to the forest. When their cabin is attacked by a strange being it's clear there is a far greater threat in this unrelenting wilderness.

Director: Jaco Bouwer
Producer: Jorrie van der Walt, Tertius Kapp, Jaco Bouwer
Screenwriter: Tertius Kapp
Distributor: Decal
Production Co: Film Initiative Africa
Rating: R (Language|Bloody Images|Nudity|Sexual Content|Some Violence)
Genre: Horror, Drama, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 2021, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 25, 2021
Box Office (Gross USA): $126.1K
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital