Director: Michael Johnson Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Danny DeVito Writer: Michael Johnson | 3/5 All the Wilderness There are times when Michael Johnson’s All the Wilderness feels like the first-time feature that it is, and then there are other times when it feels like a fully realized work by a seasoned pro. Those looking for a seasoned pro to point a finger at, direct your attention to the works of Terrence Malick. Though it runs at about half the running time - it’s a scant eighty-five minutes long - of a Malick film, All the Wilderness clearly nods to all of that director's poetic, beautifully shot introspect pieces. Let us take a deeper look into what we have here. James (Kodi Smit-McPhee, marvelous) is a wanderer. He roams the woods. He sneaks out of his house at night to roam the streets. He can’t sleep. James is also obsessed with death, sketching out detailed autopsies of dead animals: a crow, his hamster, a housefly. All of his newfound angst, which began with the death of his father, is worrying his mother (Virginia Madsen), who sends him to a shrink (an always welcome Danny DeVito). What to do? In most situations like this, there is usually nothing you can do but let the grieving work it out themselves. That is exactly what Johnson lets him do. Most of the brief film is made up of James loafing around, escaping his house, hanging out with some hipsters he meets on a bus, flirting with a cute girl, and giving us bizarre views into his brain via voice overs. |
This is where my problems with All the Wilderness arise. I do not have a problems with reflective, uneventful plots. I’m the kind of guy who writes articles explaining my love for Boyhood and Richard Linklater, the king of movies where nothing (and everything) happens. I totally get the allure. However, making a movie about “nothing” is much harder than it may seems. If you are going to have the bulk of your film consist of simple interactions between a boy and his friends, you better make sure those friends are treated with as much respect as your lead - watch Linklater’s Dazed and Confused for an example on how to do this right. Johnson’s top two supporting roles are played by Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan) and Evan Ross (Mockingjay). They contribute a great deal to the film’s midsection, but the way Johnson wraps up their story feels rushed and weak. My disappointment here really ruined the whole conclusion for me.
My last complaint has to do with all of the pretentious narration James spouts throughout the film’s entirety. Sure, the words sound pretty and poetic when you hear them, but they are become frustrating the more you ponder them. A huge screenwriting error is when your dialogue feels as if it was meant to be read on a page, not spoken by a character. James’ many musings about which animals live inside of him feel written. I found it aggravating; you may feel different.
I most certainly felt different about many of the other aspects of Wilderness. For one, Smit-McPhee, grown like a weed since his role alongside Viggo Mortensen in The Road, is a magnetic presence. Some one get this kid some more angsty teen roles fast. I always knew how James was feeling, and it was not because of the confusing narration; it was all due to Smit-McPhee’s subtle expression. Even seemingly banal transition scenes like the numerous quiet car rides with his mother are loaded with power.
Like Malick, Johnson has the beautiful cinematography on lock. And it isn’t just that his film is pretty, the newbie director shows a sharp skill when it comes to using his expressive images. Many of his shots, especially those in the woods, tell stories all of their own. For this reason, Johnson is going on my list of directors to watch. Him and Smit-McPhee have talent to spare; and I, for one, cannot wait to see what comes next.
(Available on iTunes)
My last complaint has to do with all of the pretentious narration James spouts throughout the film’s entirety. Sure, the words sound pretty and poetic when you hear them, but they are become frustrating the more you ponder them. A huge screenwriting error is when your dialogue feels as if it was meant to be read on a page, not spoken by a character. James’ many musings about which animals live inside of him feel written. I found it aggravating; you may feel different.
I most certainly felt different about many of the other aspects of Wilderness. For one, Smit-McPhee, grown like a weed since his role alongside Viggo Mortensen in The Road, is a magnetic presence. Some one get this kid some more angsty teen roles fast. I always knew how James was feeling, and it was not because of the confusing narration; it was all due to Smit-McPhee’s subtle expression. Even seemingly banal transition scenes like the numerous quiet car rides with his mother are loaded with power.
Like Malick, Johnson has the beautiful cinematography on lock. And it isn’t just that his film is pretty, the newbie director shows a sharp skill when it comes to using his expressive images. Many of his shots, especially those in the woods, tell stories all of their own. For this reason, Johnson is going on my list of directors to watch. Him and Smit-McPhee have talent to spare; and I, for one, cannot wait to see what comes next.
(Available on iTunes)