One could see Wild as a beautiful love story, a poignant journey into loneliness-inspired madness, even as crass exploitation.
I can't imagine anyone not seeing it as entirely original, fascinating and brilliant.
For some of the billions of people living in cities on our planet, being surrounded by other humans doesn't mean they're not lonely. If anything, being constantly in contact with other people while still feeling alienated only exaggerates their loneliness.
Ania is such a person. Until she meets a wolf.
Locking eyes with the beast for a brief moment transforms her, instantly igniting an obsession that will overwhelm her and make everything else in her life become merely frustrating distractions.
As Ania surrenders more and more to her obsession, she is liberated - and things get pretty damn weird.
But despite how extreme the content in Wild gets, the storytelling remains satisfyingly subtle. Nothing appears to be done for laughs or for shock value; it's all expressed with seriousness, even reverence.
It's up to the viewer whether it's strangely beautiful or a disturbing look at a woman's descent into mental illness. Or both.
As unique as the film is, one may draw comparisons to Polanski or perhaps King Kong, but there is a potent femininity to writer and director Nicolette Krebitz's debut you simply couldn't get with a male filmmaker. There's a great elegance to her direction that heightens the film.
The lead actor Lilith Stangenberg must too be commended for her hypnotic portrayal of Ania.
Definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're OK with cinema that flirts with the taboo, this is one of the most impressive films of 2016.
Four-and-a-half stars.
This film is playing as part of the 2016 New Zealand International Film Festival.
Wild:: Director: Nicolette Krebitz:: Starring: Lilith Stangenberg, Georg Friedrich, Silke Bodenbender, Saskia Sophie Rosendahl, Frowin Wolter:: Rating: R16 - sex scenes, offensive language and content that may disturb:: Running Time: 97 minutes
Reviewed by Daniel Rutledge / Newshub.
