Audiences at Telluride Horror Show had the chance to see the surrealistic, neo-noir thriller, A Desert. The film was written by Bossi Baker (A Night of Horror: Volume 1) and Joshua Erkman, with Erkman also directing in his feature film debut. The film follows a photographer on a journey through the desolation of the American West. When he befriends a sexy, dangerous duo at a seedy motel, it sends the photographer, his wife, and a private investigator on a nightmarish journey.

Erkman combined elements of a slow-burn thriller with a touch of surrealism to create A Desert. The film begins with the photographer, going somewhat off the grid to travel the more deserted, run down parts of the American West to capture the magic of his first photography book. When he meets a couple from the area, the photographer becomes intrigued with these people the same way he is with the abandoned locations he photographs. Yet these people clearly have ulterior motives, which eventually leads to the involvement of the photographer’s wife and a private investigator. While A Desert is a slow burn, Erkman does a fantastic job of building the tension. Even as the protagonist laughs off strange behavior, the audience can see the danger that lies ahead. The deeper the story journeys into the seedy underbelly hidden in the forgotten landscapes, the more twisted and strange the situation becomes.

While the general plot is fascinating, there are certain elements of A Desert that will polarize audiences. Most notable is the pacing and formatting. Slow-burn thrillers aren’t for everyone, but the pacing in A Desert almost seems even slower because it repeats certain parts of the plot through the eyes of different characters. It’s intriguing and allows for different points of view to be highlighted, but it is a bit repetitive. The film also leaves the “point” of the film up to the viewer. There are certainly themes that stand out, such as affluent “tourists” visiting the derelict areas to profit from other peoples’ misery and the different ways people capture images, but by the end it’s up to the audience to decide what they got from the film. For the most part, this format and the themes presented are enough to keep the plot compelling. If there is one element that could help take this film from good to great it would be the surrealism. A Desert is sometimes described as Lynchian, which is certainly evident watching the film. However, it doesn’t go quite Lynchian or surreal enough. There are small hints of this, but it’s not enough to really create the strange, otherworldly feel. It makes one wish the film had either really leaned into the surrealism, enhancing the bizarre events that take place, or the surrealism had been entirely removed in favor of a more grounded, realistic thriller.

A Desert features a number of phenomenal performances from its cast. Kai Lennox (Green Room, The Girl From Plainville) stars as Alex, the photographer. Alex is trying so hard to recapture the magic and glory he once had that he can’t see the red flags. Lennox is wonderful in this role, especially in how he shows this character letting his politeness and curiosity lead his decisions, even when the audience will want to scream at the screen for him to run. David Yow (The Toxic Avenger, Dinner in America) plays the private investigator, Harold. Yow has a knack for playing seedier characters. While that’s true in his portrayal of Harold as well, Yow still manages to add layers and hidden depth to the character, making the audience feel unexpectedly endeared to him. While there are too many brilliant performances to get into each individual one, it’s important to also praise Sarah Lind (A Wounded Fawn), Zachary Ray Sherman (Under the Banner of Heaven), and Ashley Smith (Extremity), whom all leave a lasting impression in their roles.

The sights and sounds of A Desert are the clear shining moments of the film. Every shot of the film is a work of art. From the framing to the lighting, the cinematography highlights the beauty amongst the barren scenery and violence. It’s not only gorgeous to look at, but it lends to the themes of photography and capturing images that are present throughout the film. This also bleeds into the locations. Between desert landscapes and abandoned, rundown buildings, the sets help create the sense of existing in a place where people aren’t meant to be. It adds to the feel of Alex being a tourist in a place he doesn’t belong. Helping to inject life into the dead locations is fantastic music by Ty Segall. With the film score and a great soundtrack, audiences are sure to be drawn into all the sights and sounds that A Desert has to offer.

A Desert is a hauntingly bleak neo-noir thriller, taking the audience on a strange journey into the darker side of human nature. This is a strong feature-film debut for Erkman, who clearly has an eye for creating stunning imagery among the death and desolation. While the script could have been tighter, especially when it comes to the surrealism and the reasoning behind it all, it’s still an intriguing viewing experience. Even if the story isn’t for you, it’s impossible to ignore the phenomenal performances in A Desert. Along with such great visuals and mesmerizing music bringing it all to life, this is a film definitely worth watching.

OVERALL RATING: 6.5/10