Fantasia International Film Festival 2023 – Kudos to any movie bold enough to take one of the most famous phrases in modern American poetry and use it as a title. Yes, I’m referring to Robert Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” It’s a fitting poem in the context of writer/director Teresa Sutherland‘s latest feature, Lovely, Dark, and Deep. Like Frost’s poem, Sutherland’s work shows both the beauty and danger inherent in nature. It’s a visually arresting and haunting film with a few flawed concepts.

Barbarian star Georgina Campbell plays Lennon, a new park ranger who is only drawn to the wilderness because her sister went missing in the same area when they were kids. Lennon clings to the hope that maybe, just maybe she can search the area more and discover clues about her sister’s whereabouts. This narrative works. Campbell gave a breakout performance in Barbarian and handles this lead role just as well. Her character’s grief feels palpable, as well as her desire to find out what happened. Lennon is obsessed to the point she listens to podcasts about the number of people that go missing in National Parks. This portrayal of loss grounds the film when it gets quite bonkers. And boy, does it ever.

This is where the film falters a bit. For most of the runtime, the audience is kept totally in the dark, barely given breadcrumbs about what happened to Lennon’s sister. Not only that, the forest creature, force, or whatever you want to call it is never really explained. It’s just sort of there, causing Lennon to have disturbing visions. There are some truly unnerving visual moments and startling imagery. But the folk horror elements aren’t always well-executed, even when the head ranger, Zhang (Wai Ching Ho), gives a quasi-explanation about the life force thriving in the deep, dark woods. This bit sparks more questions than answers.

Still, the pros here outweigh the cons, not only Campbell’s performance, but the visuals. This is a gorgeous film, from the ariel shots of the dense forest to some of the camera trickery. I especially enjoyed the nighttime sequences with the moon bright and big above the actors. Cinematographer Rui Poças really did a fantastic job on this feature, and the imagery captures the nuance of Frost’s poem, the fear and beauty a forest can inspire.

Overall, Lovely, Dark, and Deep proves Campbell is one of the best actresses working in the horror genre right now. The feature also shows how terrifying, yet breathtaking nature can be. Its visuals invoke awe and danger, just like the poem. Along with Campbell’s acting, they’re the major highlight. If only some of the concepts found sturdier footing.

6.5 Out of 10