40 Acres: Refreshingly Apocalyptic
No aliens, no zombies—just the terrifying truth of mankind.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
So 40 Acres flew way under my radar, with not many theaters having the film accessible and not much marketing noticeably anywhere. Nonetheless, it came to my attention, and I was immediately intrigued by its premise. A Black and Indigenous family surviving an apocalyptic world? Count me in.
How Was the Movie?
I am SO happy that I was not disappointed in this movie. This was a very good watch, and I plan on rewatching this for countless times to come. If I’m lucky, I would like to add a physical copy to my collection. Yes, for me, it was that good.
It gave A Quiet Place and The Last of Us vibes, but with its own fresh story. There are no aliens or zombies here; the horror and monsters are strictly human. Famine has swept the Earth and if you don’t know how to grow plants and crops you are screwed.
Here we follow a family who was seemingly made to survive such a chaotic scenario. A badass mother who’s also a war veteran, and an amazingly resourceful, equally badass father who is Cree. I was thrilled to see such a powerful and beautiful couple.
As a Black woman who was raised by many strong Black women, I can appreciate the heroine and main character of this story. I also appreciated her family backstory explaining that their 40 Acres in Canada came from an ancestor who escaped slavery in America and worked that land for his generations to come. This is incredibly meaningful and symbolic for those who know the significance of what 40 Acres means for African Americans.
I also loved that she is with a man from the Cree tribe. I had the pleasure of spending time with a Cree Knowledge Keeper during a trip to Canada, and I was blown away by her culture. She taught me about plants and herbs, their meanings, and the relationship between earth’s provisions with human existence. The Cree father in the movie seemed to also be knowledgeable on Earth’s provisions, which was essential for his family’s survival. This is how you form a power couple.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Favorite Elements About the Movie?
Hustlers by Nature:
Without spoiling too much, one of my favorite elements about the story is that the family had a hustle mentality. They could clearly grow crops well, and they knew how to defend themselves, but they still found time to grow marijuana and trade it for moonshine with another group. I just thought this was hilarious, but I completely understand. A good strain of marijuana may help anyone get through a world of chaos.
Realistic Horror:
I enjoyed how realistic the horrors of this movie were. As I mentioned earlier, the main monsters in similar films are typically something otherworldly such as aliens and zombies but there’s none of that in here. People are the only evils that you really need to focus on, and we have seen time and time again throughout history how horrifying man can truly become in dark times. This is sadly also part of what makes this movie very disturbing.
Symbolism:
I’m a sucker for symbolism and deep analysis and this film is rich with them. I may return with a deeper review on the film in the future, but for now I will just say this is so much to unpack from this film. The backgrounds of the family members, the land itself, and the way that they choose to survive are all fascinating layers to explore. I’m actually quite curious if there were any vegetarians involved in writing the story.
Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
Is This Movie for You?
If you like thrillers and post apocalyptic movies then you will likely enjoy this. Fans of stories such as A Quiet Place, The Last of Us, and The Walking Dead are in for a familiar, yet different treat. As much as I enjoyed the movie, I will not say that it was better than any of those stories but it is still a good watch.