The Wasteland

2021

1h 32m

Horror

Drama

List

64%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

29%

Audience Score

50+ Ratings

The tranquility of a family that lives isolated from society is suddenly disturbed by a horrific creature that would put the bounds that tights them to test.

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Nick Allen

RogerEbert.com

The Wasteland is able to suck you into its candle-lit world of discomfort, but it ends up being not as claustrophobic as it could be.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 6, 2022

Full Review

Paul Lê

Bloody Disgusting

The Wasteland is an attractive slow-burn, not to mention a welcome addition to the wild, wild world of horror Westerns.

Rated: 3/5

Jul 23, 2023

Full Review

Nicolas Soto

But Why Tho? A Geek Community

The Wasteland proves to be a solid start to the horror genre but suffers from pacing issues.

Rated: 7/10

Jan 21, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

While too many creepers come across as derivative and old hat, there are still filmmakers who are constantly finding new ways to use horror. “The Wasteland” certainly falls among the latter.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 16, 2022

Full Review

Elsa Fernández-Santos

El Pais (Spain)

Drifting between two forms of monsters ultimately adds up to less, so much that it's difficult to remember, on top of everything else, if there was even a beast to begin with. [Full review in Spanish]

Jun 16, 2022

Full Review

Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

At its best and most memorable, it's perhaps the eeriest and strangest coming-of-age movie ever made.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 25, 2022

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Madeleine S

Awful, plot was non-existent. Don't waste your time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/24/23

Full Review

Jerod S

A solid start, opening with a family in severe isolation post war and a dying man floating up on their land. But when papa leaves and something sinister shows up (or does it) - things go sideways...and so does the film.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/15/23

Full Review

Late R

Nicely shot and well-acted, on the one hand ‘The Wasteland' is an allegory for mental illness, specifically depression and the darkness and fear that eats away at its victims, seemingly advancing on them no matter where they go; on the other, it's a messed up coming-of-age tale and it's here that it's most effective because it gives the audience something to care about, even if it's not enough to carry the entire film. It tries to do something clever by folding a story about mental illness into a horror film and that's admirable and could have been interesting, but ultimately, the makers behind this one couldn't find a way to make it work as well as it should – there just isn't nearly enough actually happening on-screen to hold one's attention.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/14/23

Full Review

T T

This movie was not good at all. There really is no actual horror, in the classic or literal sense. Just a neverending buildup to that supposed horror. The actual horror is how horribly this film was directed and filmed. The lighting was absolutely terrible. I couldn't see so much of the film because of the amateurish lighting and filming skills of this film's director. The movie started out ok, because the story itself and the setting were excellent. This could have been a good horror movie, but the director totally ruined it. There was almost no clear visual of the "entity" when it finally decided to make an appearance. Most of the movie was this boring and tense buildup that went nowhere. The movie had no direction. It was lost and aimless. Then finally when the entity decided to show up, you couldn't even really clearly see it. Due to bad lighting and filming, it's difficult to follow some of the details/developments of the film. I could have done a better job with my cellphone camera. Really, what a shame because the setting and story had good potential.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

the s

This is more of an art film than a horror or thriller. Just know that in advance if you're looking for horror. This ain't it. Stylistically and thematically it's very similar to 2018's "The Wind," which I thought was brilliant. The problem with Wastleand (or one of them, at least) is that it doesn't offer much of a narrative or any real storyline. So aside from the visuals and the repeated on/off sightings of something they may/may not be there that may/may not be a "monster" or "beast," it just becomes an empty set of visuals. And to be fair, cinematically it is striking at times…it creates an appropriately creepy environment but that part isn't backed up by any substantial plot development or dialogue. And a movie cannot exist as just creepy visuals or sets…I know because lots have tried over the years and failed. What we're left with is kind of an empty shell of a situation more than a plot. And even the situation itself doesn't come to any kind of crescendo or conclusion. Which brings me back to the idea it's more of an art film than horror or thriller. And to be frank, it feels a little like a movie about how a parent's mental illness can affect their children. I got that theme out of it more than anything else. And I get that the mom was crazy (or was she…one of the unsatisfying parts of the movie) but randomly firing off all your shells into the air if you honestly think there is a threat is the best way to frustrate an audience who is looking to be tethered to some level of realism. Nobody would do that, not even a crazy woman. In the end, you feel sorry for Diego, you come to decide that his mom is crazy and you're left without any real resolution or conclusion to a story that didn't even have much of a plot to begin with. It's not a "bad" movie…not a total waste of time if you enjoy slow burns rich with dark atmosphere that seem to be more about art and style than plot and substance but I have a feeling the reviews are so bad on this is that most people want the full experience of rich dialogue and elaborate plots (or at least *some* type of plot and character development) and this movie lacks pretty much all that stuff except the scenery and atmosphere.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

aleksi p

It sucked hard.. Super boring, no plot, empty, hallow, pointless, Why would you make a movie out of such an empty script? 100% waste of time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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David Casademunt

Director

Inma Cuesta

Lucía

Roberto Álamo

Salvador

Alejandra Howard

Juana

Asier Flores

Actor

David Casademunt

Screenwriter

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Synopsis

The tranquility of a family that lives isolated from society is suddenly disturbed by a horrific creature that would put the bounds that tights them to test.

Director: David Casademunt
Screenwriter: David Casademunt, Matí Lucas
Production Co: Rodar y Rodar Cine y Television, Fitzcarraldo Films
Genre: Horror, Drama
Original Language: Spanish (Spain)
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 6, 2022
Runtime: 1h 32m

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