Bartosz Kowalski's W Lesie Dzis Nic Zasnie Nikt (2020) works neither as a proper homage to the vintage, nor an inventive satire on its themes. Sadly, it's not even remotely entertaining either.
Admittedly, horror has been the domain of American and Asian cinema. Indeed, the argument could be made that European moviegoers were spoiled by the foreign influx. That, however, shouldn't mean that in-house productions are all trash. Thanks to people such as Robert Eggers, Ari Aster, Julia Ducournau and Ben Wheatley, horror fans in Europe begin to get choosy too. So, in order to make the headlines, you really have to push the envelope. Polish director Bartosz Kowalski couldn't stray further away from that goal.
Kowalski's anchor is an almost mute character Zosia. She's played by Polish juvenile celebrity Julia Wieniawa-Narkiewicz, whose bland, uninterested face speaks volumes about the whole film. Furthermore, it's also her poorly developed arch, which doesn't help the inexperienced actress build a role worth investing in. And since that's the only emotional leverage up Bartosz Kowalski's sleeve, you get the picture.
Let's be honest - nobody watches slashers for agitated debates on the meaning of life or character development. If anything, it's the bloodshed that counts.
The gore and scares in W Lesie Dzis Nic Zasnie Nikt (2020) are stylistically close to the Wrong Turn movies. It's largely over-the-top, with bodies cut in two, beaten up against a tree and minced. So, the blood's there, but style isn't.
That too leaves W Lesie Dzis Nic Zasnie Nikt (2020) far from modern masterpieces. Thee visible budget constraints play their part here, yet a few horrors succeeded despite facing similar issues. Look at Creep (2015), and the legendary The Blair Witch project (1999) to grasp what I'm getting there. These films were brilliant in avoiding the formulaic paths. For Bartosz Kowalski, sticking his head out means leaving his comfort zone. And the director is clearly not ready for that kind of commitment.
Eventually, this entire effort is just as fruitless as this camp that tries to convert kids from online to offline. One tedious slasher won't change the European horror game. But in the of W Lesie Dzis Nic Zasnie Nikt (2020) case, that actually may be a good thing.
14 out of 30 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink