DIS: Written Review

DIS

Written Review

Hi everyone and welcome to MyIndie Review Vlog, the show that gives you spoiler-free reviews of indie films. My name is Asaf Angel from MyIndie Productions.

Today I’ll be reviewing Unearthed Films’ 2019 extreme horror feature film DIS, written and directed by U.S. filmmaker Adrian Corona.

Thank you, Adrian for sharing your film with us!

Ariel, a lean, tough looking soldier, portrayed by Bill Oberst Jr. strides through the woods with a cold distant gaze in his eyes. At first it is unclear what he is looking for in these woods, but it feels that there is something specific that brought him there.

He reaches what was once a large building, now a ruin, in the middle of the woods. After an unpleasantly unpredictable experience, a nightmare world swallows Ariel whole, as he falls into the web of an evil and relentless man-like entity that tortures him with the purpose of harvesting his bodily fluids to feed a Mandragora garden it has been nurturing.

The myth of the Mandragora, or Mandrake root goes as far back as biblical times. It is said to be hallucinogenic and narcotic. In high quantities it can potentially cause severe confusion and psychosis.

DIS‘ opening frame starts with a quote by 16th century Dutch author Levinus Lemnius describing the plant as a creature born of the seed of dead murderers. It is apparent that Corona diligently researched the Mandrake root and wisely incorporated elements of the myth in the film, which in my mind, allowed the plot to be unveiled in a unique and thought provoking manner.

Corona’s vision comes to life in several aspects that come together in a very interesting form. From a storytelling perspective, DIS is a tale that is conveyed almost entirely through its wonderfully choreographed visuals, on which I will discuss in a short while. There is very little dialogue that contributes to the plot, but almost all that propels the story, comes from carefully designed scenes, compositions, character actions, reactions and elements in frame.

Corona boldly sends us, the viewers, plunging into a hellish world with very little information regarding its origins. We are challenged to decipher what exactly is happening on and more importantly, what it all means. Ariel’s character arc is laid out in code. We see him say and do things that seem illogical, or missing information that might make sense of them.

Corona deliberately hangs a lot of question marks as the story progresses, to constantly keep us on our toes. One might say that these are the types of films made for the eyes of other filmmakers or film scholars and reviewers, as they offer schooling in the art of subtext in storytelling, and it quickly becomes apparent that Adrian possesses great skill for it.

The visuals are largely packed with beautiful and breathtaking shots and sequences that are cleverly incorporated in an opposite vector to the gruesome reality of the world we are frequently shown.

The cinematography feels to be scientifically designed. An abundance of moving shots, reminiscent of films the likes of Elephant by director Gus Van Sant. The camera flows undetected capturing an array of precise and beautiful compositions. If I were to pause the film in random places I will most likely lock-in on a beautiful frame every time.

Production value is extremely high for an indie film, the performances are adequate and compelling, especially when no dialogue is involved, and the sound design does a marvelous job in fleshing out the horrific environment that sets the stage for the story.

It is very hard to discuss details, not only for fear of spoiling, but also risking an extremely lengthy review.

DIS gets an 8.5/10 on the Look At Me, I’m a Film Critic Scale!
The film is available for purchase on the Unearthed Films website, and on Amazon. Links above.

Until next time, keep supporting indie film. Watch, share, spread the word. My name is Asaf Angel, I thank you for tuning into MyIndie Review Vlog. I’ll see you next Thursday!