A24’s Lamb premiered September 24 in theatres across the United States. The movie was directed by Vladimir Johannson and was written by Johannson and Sjon. During the weekend of its American release, the film made more than $1 million. This was less than in Canada, where the film grossed over $2 million within the first weekend.
The film centers around couple Maria and Ingvar, who have recently lost a child. The couple finds a newborn who appears to be a hybrid of a goat and a child and names the baby Ada. Eventually, Ada’s birth mother comes to find the child, but is shot and killed by Maria, who wants to keep the child.
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Ingvar’s brother arrives, finds out about the killing of Ada’s mother, and attempts to blackmail Maria. Maria takes him to a bus stop to leave, but while she is gone Ingvar decides to fix his tractor. While outside, a ram-man entity shoots him and takes Ada.
Critical reception to the film was mixed. David Fear, senior editor and critic of Rolling Stone magazine, describes the film as “a hundred times creepier, and a thousand times more poignant,” after letting the message sink in. The film relies heavily on visual storytelling and utilizes a deep soundtrack to add to the atmosphere of uncomfortability. The subtleties are what make the film; they ensure that the viewer needs to pay attention, using extraordinary detail to lure audiences into a trance.
In a Vogue article from October 8, deputy editor Taylor Antrim describes the film as “hyper-bizarre” and for good reason. The film remains a mystery even if one previews the trailer before the movie. The surprise of the film’s gradual twists turns a monotonic film into a fascinating horror film. Antrim goes on to describe the film as having “appealing sincerity.” The film is sincere, with excellent performances from the film’s leads Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snær Guðnason.
Lamb breaks viewer expectations every few seconds. Writer Kip Man calls Lamb “beautiful, and deeply nuanced.” Lamb is beautiful, and so nuanced that nature is incorporated into the film. The movie was not only shot in Iceland, but shot during Lambing season, where lambs are sheared. All of the animals had authentic reactions, some animals not having even officially been enlisted in the movie. The wildlife incorporation only helps further the movie’s message.
“It can stand for so many things,” Johansson, director of the movie, says. “Even I’ve changed my mind after watching the film so often. But it can stand for nature; it can stand for so many things. I feel everybody has to take their own understanding of it.” The intensity of most Barstow English classes should allow any student to fully understand and grasp the wonder that Lamb bestows.
The film is terrifying; the experience of watching it leaves you jarred enough to wonder if what you just watched was even a horror movie, or anything else besides an ethereal retelling of a real story. Barstow students will appreciate the intensity of the film.
