Review: A Field in England will make you question your sanity

Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England is shot entirely in black and white, creating his most gorgeous looking film to date that can be equally as frustrating as it is breathtaking. Wheatley’s latest film is a wickedly insane trip into a bizarre field that may or may not be one you’ll want to visit. 1648. During the English Civil War, three soldiers and a scholar find themselves away from a battle in a mysterious field where O’Neil, an Irish alchemist, forces them to help him search for a perhaps-magical treasure.

One of the reasons I’m such a big fan of Wheatley is simply because you never know what you’re going to get next with this guy. Kill List established his brutal style of filmmaking while Sightseers showed his dark comedic side — he’s not scared to push himself as a filmmaker and try something different each and every time. Something I really respect from a director. A Field in England blends those two films in one of the oddest, bat-shit insane movies I’ve seen in quite some time. I found myself getting frustrated with the flick at times because it’s just so damn strange. You really have to work for this one and if you don’t then it’s going to be the longest 90 minutes of your life. This is easily Wheatley’s least approachable film thus far but one that is worth checking out if you like a little bit of WTF in your movies.

I can recommend Wheatley’s previous films quite easily but this one is seriously a lot to handle. I hated parts of the film and loved others. The positives were hands down the acting and cinematography. The cast pulls together some unique performances that will have you laughing one moment and completely speechless the next. It was one hell of a ride watching the characters descend into madness as the film goes on. It’s a ridiculous film, so much so that you might question your sanity by the time it’s over.

I’m still not quite sure what to make of A Field in England.It looks beautiful and has a 10 minute sequence of insanely haunting editing that mimics a horrific psychedelic trip — something you truly have to see to believe. There is also some hilarious dialogue and a couple of signature moments of Wheatley’s brutality. That being said, I still couldn’t recommend this film to your average movie-goer. In one word, Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England is insane and a trip that you will never forget whether you enjoyed the film or not. As hard as it was to watch, it’s even harder to write a review. All I can really say is that if you decide to check this one out, go in with caution because this is one hell of strange film that is guaranteed to melt your brain.