When considering supernatural thrillers as a subgenre, it may be difficult to come across a film that not only experiments with conventions of the genre but also addresses the society. Welcome to “Deadland,” a film by Lance Larson, a new creation which will depict the viewers the idea of border policy and retribution by the dead.
After achieving a great success during its premiere at SXSW last year, “Deadland” is now available in the UK and Ireland only through digital services. The film's premise is as haunting as it is timely: when US border agents bury an immigrant's body after he or she was detained and later died, they quickly find out that some skeletons – and some corpses – just don't stay buried.
Where “Deadland” stands out is that leading it years brilliant actors: Roberto Urbina, famous for Snowpiercer, Julieth Restrepo from Griselda, McCaul Lombardi from American Honey, and Chris Mulkey from the Oscar-winning Whiplash.
The eerie and dreamlike visuals by the Cinematographer Jas Shelton also add to storytelling and give it an aesthetic appeal. What Larson manages to do is intertwine nightmarish events, and the supernatural aspect exceptionally well, which is why the attention of Lightbulb Film Distribution was drawn to this feature.
Even though, the date of the release is not mentioned in the source material, it's important to know that the film is already available digitally in the UK and Ireland, allowing the fans of the thriller genre to enjoy this singular experience. “Deadland,” is not simply a tale of the supernatural or a political allegory; it is a reflection on the cost, culpability, and the ghosts that inhabit the real and ethereal borders.
With the ever-growing cinema culture, films like “Deadland” serve as the constant proof of how the genre could push the boundaries of addressing the society's problems. For those who are in search of a movie that delivers a scare rather than the mere popping up of apparitions, ‘Deadland' is a movie that shall make the skin crawl.
