Lovely Dark and Deep – Fantasia review

★★★½

A new backcountry ranger travels alone through the dangerous wilderness, hoping to uncover the origins of a tragedy that has haunted her for most of her life.

“Lovely, Dark, and Deep,” the directorial debut of Teresa Sutherland, ventures into the realm of cosmic horror, interweaving elements of psychological introspection within a wilderness setting. Taking its title from Robert Frost’s poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” the film itself gradually deviates from its woodland path to delve into mysterious existential dread.

Lennon, portrayed by Georgina Campbell with natural charm, is a newly promoted park ranger. Taking up her post at an isolated ranger station for the summer, she confronts a series of enigmatic occurrences that seem to speak to her own childhood trauma. An eerie black deer she encounters seems to reflect her own deeper internal struggles. But is it a herald of resolution or annihilation?

Campbell adeptly conveys the character’s emotions, though the film’s intentionally vague storytelling approach may limit opportunities for a more profound emotional connection to her plight. Sutherland displays a firm grasp of visual storytelling, skillfully employing cinematographer Rui Poças to capture the pristine beauty of the wilderness, juxtaposed with the looming sense of impending horror. Rui Poças’ cinematography exhibits clarity, even in the film’s nocturnal scenes, enhancing the visual allure while effectively externalising Lennon’s psychological collapse.

At its heart, “Lovely, Dark, and Deep” contemplates the unsettling reality of disappearances in remote landscapes, offering a speculative vision of the horror lurking beyond civilisation.

While the film excels in its atmospheric storytelling, its somewhat veiled mythos and oblique approach to character development may deter those viewers who seek a more conventional narrative experience. Yet that deliberate embiguitaligns with a broader tradition of literary and artistic exploration of cosmic horror, embracing a sense of metaphysical mystery.

The combination of cosmic horror with the quiet beauty of the American wilderness, Sutherland’s assured direction and Campbell’s compelling performance all make this a horror worth checking out. Although the deliberate ambiguity may make it hard for some to tap into the emotional depth, the film invites viewers to embark on an intellectual and imaginative journey, leaving a lingering sense of haunting fascination. “Lovely, Dark, and Deep” stands as an intriguing addition to the realm of psychological horror cinema.

Lovely Dark and Deep played at Fantasia 2023, and is awaiting distribution.