Wasteland (Rowan Athale, 2012) USA/UK

Reviewed by Grace Williamson. Screened at the Arlington, Santa Barbara.

Each year I have heard tales of the last movie of the festival being the worst, that was not true for 2013.  This year, we ended the Santa Barbara International Film Festival with a bang!

This is a film about Harvey (Luke Treadaway) and a group of scallywags, his friends.  The basis of this plot is a heist, and we start the film seeing Harvey brutally beaten in an interrogation room explaining how he got there.  But in order to do so, he must tell the tale from the start.

This film portrays a robbery you would want to be apart of, this group of friends bands back together a month prior to the heist when Harvey is released from jail and he has a plan.  He was framed, and rightfully thinks he deserves his money back, and plans on stealing it.  What on the outside looks like a poorly executed plan and an all around bad idea might not be what it seems.

This film is very British to say the least, what started out as an almost full theater in the Arlington became less than half full by the middle of the 108 minute movie.  Many of the older crowd and impatient could not grasp the fast paced wit and not always the most clear language that many of us are accustomed to.  Subtitles might have been a smart touch, but I am sure our foreign guests would have laughed at us.

If this film flourishes within the United States it will be for two reasons:

1. Matthew Lewis & Timothy Spall have paved their way into American hearts through Harry Potter, die hard Neville and Wormtail fans will surely endure this to get through their Harry Potter withdrawals.  
2. For some peculiar reason we have a great fascination with our foreign friend’s accents across the pond and their boy band like stance might aid them in one direction.

I think that this film was edited very well, there was a series of shots, a “how to” if you will, and it was exhilaration to watch.  This is a film where the underdog may get out alive, and gives hope to the most unfortunate situations.  It is surprisingly optimistic for being such a dreary topic, I am not known to watch films within this genre almost ever.  As a viewer my heart raced and my stomach sunk, there are scenes where I was literally on the edge of my seat trying not to squeal I typically keep my distance from such discomfort but not this film.