Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2013: #65. Ben Wheatley’s A Field in England

A Field in England

Director: Ben Wheatley
Writer(s): Wheatley & Amy Jump
Producer(s): Claire Jones, Andrew Starke
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Julian Barratt, Reece Shearsmith, Michael Smiley

In three short years since his 2009 debut (Down Terrace), Ben Wheatley has quickly established himself as part of the new breed of smart, Brit auteurs – fabulously etching together horror genre items of a different vibe. Stylistically, A Field in England promises to be just as inventive as Kill List and his rod-tripper Sightseers, and that same ingenuity easily transfers over into his narratives. If you believe that behind every great man is an awesome wife, then writing partner Amy Jump certainly should be mentioned her for his creative and productive overdrive. When you include his work in The ABCs of Death, 2013 will give us a chance to see three back-to–back-to-back works from Wheatley. His following on both sides of the ocean will likely expand in size.

Gist: The film follows a small group of deserters fleeing from a raging battle through an overgrown field. As they are captured by O’Neil, an alchemist, they are forced to aid him in his search to find a hidden treasure that he believes is buried in the field. Crossing a vast mushroom circle, which provides their first meal, the group quickly descend into a chaos of arguments, fighting and paranoia, and, as it becomes clear that the treasure might be something other than gold, they slowly become victim to the terrifying energies trapped inside the field.

Release Date: Now in post-production, this could follow the same route towards Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight programers happen to be very open to the genre.