- Release year: 2024
- Director: Athina Rachel Tsangari.
- Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Marie-Elena Dyche, Viola Fügen, Rebecca O’Brien, Athina Rachel Tsangari, and Michael Weber.
- Screenplay by: Joslyn Barnes and Athina Rachel Tsangari.
- Cinematography by: Sean Price Williams.
Synopsis: the disappearance of a town in Scotland during the 18th century.
Shotgun Commentary: for anyone into historical dramas with weird twists.
Review
Harvest has a very strong beginning, and “strong” is not a synonym for explosive or shocking this time. It is more of an “oh wow, so THAT is what I’m in for…” kind of strong. It begins with a man frolicking in nature and closeups of bugs in his hand in the same way live fish were in Gollum’s (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, 2002).
While you decide if you want to see whether he eats the bug or not, he begins to practice the closest thing you can do to oral sex with the bark of a tree, making the whole ordeal a lot more confusing and offputting than it needs to be. Overall, if you stay after the first five to ten minutes, you know what you are in for.
A peaceful oasis?
The real story begins when the odd tree fiddler, Walter (Caleb Landry Jones), goes back into town. There is a huge fire, accidentally provoked by the dumb potheads of the town, that leads to a lot of distress but a happy, deathless ending thanks to the leniency of the big kahuna of the state, Master Kent (Harry Melling).
Everything seems to be peaceful and great until you learn of the town’s production issues, which will very likely lead to huge problems in the near future, as well as the random settlers that decide to claim part of their land for themselves. The town, being as racist and uneducated as it is, quickly punishes the settlers without so much as a hello instead of trying to make use of the very needed extra hands.
The big topics
The whole narrative is clear in its commentary on racism, from the settlers to the harmless map painter Quill (Arinzé Kene) and even Walter himself, the locals tend to hate and blame outsiders for everything. However, the film doesn’t settle with just showcasing how insane and unfair racism is, it also highlights how the lack of education is the perfect breeding ground for misinformation, fear, and hatred, usually in that order, although once one begins, all three can feed from each other endlessly. Or until somebody dies, that is.
The other big theme is feminism. Curiously, this topic is approached differently than most films depicting the 18th century. Some people hint that the woman settler that they let loose at the beginning of the film might have something to do with their misfortune. There are even some whispers of witches. Nevertheless, all those comments are quickly shut down by a local woman in the village, who turns the blame towards Quill, the black mapmaker, for the reasons explained in the previous paragraph.
There is a surprisingly strong sisterhood that, rather than hide and let the gossip about witches grow, stands together and strong, looking out for each other. Of course, that is of little use when only a couple of women are willing to stand up to injustice, but it is still refreshing to see in a period piece. Especially considering the whole area is plagued with spineless men who are incapable of standing their ground even when their own family is at risk.
Final thoughts
Melling seems to be quite comfortable playing the role of cowardly Master Kent, not really helping his unavoidable connection to Dudley (Harry Potter saga) despite his obvious physical change. As for Jones, the protagonist of the story, he delivers a solid performance, making you almost forgive the fact that his character completely fools you into thinking he is more than just the village idiot.
All in all, Harvest is a folk drama that fans of the genre will likely enjoy. There are some innovative elements in the story that sort of balance the nonsense, and the locations make the whole piece a lot more beautiful than the text alone would allow. As long as you know what you are in for, there is a high chance you will love it.
Advice to take from this movie:
- If you want to riot against something, do it, don’t threaten to and then backtrack at the first chance you get.
- Being nice is not the same as being useful, or smart, or brave.
- Don’t wait for someone to save you, be ready to save yourself.
What’s your take? Have you watched Harvest? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀