Rating: ★★★ 1/2
The Wildlings Trap is arguably one of the most beautiful short films I’ve seen, as I thoroughly enjoyed the nature visuals. On par with any good nature documentary, it transports you to the world of one wildling, and what she sees as her everyday life.
We see deer, birds of prey, and seemingly vast woodlands to set our scene. It’s a gorgeous look at some of the nature that the UK has to offer, right before our story really starts.
A pleasant surprise was the fact it used an owl from Willow Birds of Prey Centre in Kent, a place that I have actually visited myself!
The film follows Devon (Amy Ryan), who spends her days outdoors hunting for food and living a very simple life. She wears face makeup and carries a bow and arrow as a weapon.
Amy’s performance is very impressive, as she really takes to her surroundings and gives a convincing look into a wildling’s life. Everything seems fairly normal until she encounters Matt (Jack Parr), a man on a hike in the woods.
Matt and Devon’s meeting is a very tense one, as he doesn’t seem to understand her way of life and believes she’s a missing child. The parallels between these two characters make for great viewing.
Jack’s portrayal of Matt radiates concern for Devon, and his performance is just as good. He seems like a genuine person, but maybe a little too trusting, as he becomes very interested in the wildling.
This project is even more impressive as Lumino Films are a company that strive to offer equal opportunities in the film industry. The Wildlings Trap was directed by Jane Sanger and written by Cheryl Neve, and they both did such a great job on it.
It only runs at eight minutes, but the film could’ve worked even better if it had been a little longer as the last two or three minutes seem to rush by. Personally, if the tension had been more drawn out I would’ve loved that.
But the ending is incredibly satisfying and leaves the viewer with a sudden sense of dread, something I really enjoyed.
You can watch The Wildlings Trap for yourself below.