Wildling (2018) User Reviews

Like My Marriage

[micelken-36259 · 5/10 · 12 May 2020]

First half was excellent, second half was a disaster.

Shut up with those fake reviews.

[louis-170 · 6/10 · 13 April 2018]

You just can't rate this film with 1/10 or with 10/10. This film is not trying to be mystery/thriller original. Even the film poster suggest what can you expect from this. Main girl cast was excellent, she did a great job, you won't believe she was 26 y.o. at film's premiere. Acting was very good and directing was well. Story was okay, but not so shocking. Camera angles were good, but I didn't liked the editing much. Not very violent film in my disappointment.

I will not watch this again, but there were entertaining 92 minutes today.

It's Something

[nonnahs-40945 · 7/10 · 11 June 2018]

So this movie is VERY VERY INTERESTING, it has an odd enough storyline to keep you into the movie... I think Most will really enjoy the mystery that is this movie. However just as interesting as this movie is, is how crazy the shift in story will be. So I think if you're in the mood for an interesting movie this is definitely one to watch !!! You'll love it , be let down by it , maybe hate it or just be confused but either way it's not bad

For this genre it's not a bad movie at all.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 21 April 2018]

Haha I just read a review where it said that this movie is worse than Twilight. Really? Did you really watched Twilight? That's one of the worse movies of this genre, only good for kids that didn't reach their puberty yet. Wildling is actually not a bad movie at all, considering that this genre has been milked over and over again. The performance of Liv Tyler was spot on, a young girl estranged from the real world, discovering things she had no clue about, to ultimately find out she's not like the others. To me it could have used a bit more horror but even without it, it still is an entertaining movie if you like those kind of stories. It's not the best movie in this genre but it certainly is high above the average stuff we got to see in the past.

Underdeveloped

[ctatroe · 6/10 · 14 April 2018]

I loved this movie's originality, which is hard to come by these days. The main complaint is that the pace was way too quick which left the story with way too many things unsettled, or glossed over. Even if there were a sequel, this story wasn't told to its full potential. The main actress carried the movie with a brilliant performance which is why it earned my 6 stars. Would have been a solid 8 borderline 9 if the story was told with a little more detail.

its not that bad

[nndydw · 5/10 · 22 April 2018]

With so many bad ratings here, i thought that the movie is really that bad. but for me its good, not that really good but its worth watching if you want to kill time (like me). maybe because im not that into this kind of movie (like, twilight) but i found this movie quite good.

Better than some gave given credit

[Keeblertex · 6/10 · 16 April 2018]

Lots of negative comments on the ending. So, maybe my expectations were low. But, it wasn't that bad. You know with this kinda film it was going to be dark. Anything else would've been corny. Overall, a pretty decent flick. The actress playing Anna did a great job. Wild that she's actually 26.

Wildling is a coming-of-age horror fantasy with feral implications.

[TheMovieDiorama · 5/10 · 20 April 2018]

Not something you see everyday, trust me. Part pubescent teen drama, part authentic horror and part whimsical fantasy. Do they all blend together to create an original piece of indie magic? Unfortunately not. A young girl is raised in captivity residing in a remote woodland cabin. She is discovered and must adjust to modern culture whilst on a journey of self-discovery. The initial hurdle that the film needed to jump was originality. It being an contemporary indie flick allowed the art to come forward and convey themes of motherhood and maturity in creative ways. However, despite the best of intentions it was all too familiar with inconsistent narrative tonality. 'Mama' meets 'Room' would be an apt description for the plot. Taking the fairytale horror from the former and embedding it into dramatic scope from the latter. The two didn't blend, at all. The separation from the first half to the second half was resolute. A simple *click* and the narrative shifts as if we are watching two short films consecutively. For what it's worth, both halves were independently engaging. The fantasy horror elements were produced with authentic makeup and succinct gore while the dramatic character development was thoroughly explored. A fantastically committed central performance from Powley who was enigmatic throughout. Wouldn't be surprised if she turned vegetarian after this. Tyler on the other hand, not so much. I just find her weak in everything. She lacks the "oomph" required to elevate the drama. The most unconvincing sheriff ever. Some character relationships, particularly Anna and Ray, were underdeveloped and came across as rushed. I wasn't invested in the chemistry thus consequently resulting in me becoming disinterested in the metaphorical subtext that Böhm attempted to convey. I always say indie films are hit and miss with me, sadly this is a miss. By all means a well produced flick with some interesting genre blends, just bites off more of the hamburger than it can chew. What can I say, not every film is to my taste.

A surprisingly good film

[mjsreg · 7/10 · 15 May 2018]

I thought this was going to be a decent but predictable film about a girl who returns to society after being locked away all her life.

Well - it is - sort of. I had only read taglines so the film was much as I expected to begin with, then everything changes and the story goes in a different and unexpected (for me anyway) direction.

A strong cast and excellent production really involves you in the characters and story.

I wouldn't say this is a 'brilliant' film - but it is damn good and well worth watching.

Good start - bad finish

[Lugo1989 · 5/10 · 16 April 2018]

Wildling has a promising start even though it is very reminiscent to The Room in its early scenes. As the story unfolds, the film basically disintegrates before finally stopping with a badly written ending. At times, you could also connect the story to the one of Raw, the French film from 2016. I would advise you to see that one since it is incomparably better than Wildling. The acting is quite decent but the story feels underdeveloped, sloppy and it also contains some unecessary cheesy teenage romantic moments. There are not many special effects, but even the ones present are poorly executed. I know this is a harsh review and I wish I could list some more positives but they are simply not there. It is a shame since the opening minutes are not bad.

Predictable, But Really Good!

[tryniti987 · 8/10 · 14 April 2018]

Honestly I loved it myself, but I can definitely see where others will be able to pick some things apart with this film.

The movie is predictable, you'll figure it out after about ten minutes. Regardless of that fact, it still pulls you in from the very first moment. You will want to see it through to the end, I promise!

Bel Powley really shines in this movie. Her acting is superb, and she portrays the character extremely well. Matter of fact she pretty much carries this film by herself. I've never seen any other movie she has been in, but after this, I can guarantee she is someone you will want to keep an eye on. The supporting cast did a really good job also.

Do you want to be entertained, or do you just want to complain? Leave it all at the door, just watch it and be entertained. It's not meant to be the best film ever, and win hundreds of awards.

I wouldn't so much call it horror, more of a thriller. I really liked the idea of the wildling creatures. I wish they had made the movie just a tad bit longer and fully played out some of the ideas that died towards the end.

Overall the movie was good, nothing award winning, but definitely a movie to keep in the collection. Watch it, enjoy, don't overthink this.

I enjoyed Bel Powley, but what's with the ending? (spoilers)

[Tron79 · 6/10 · 5 May 2018]

I thought Bel Powley gave a compelling performance. She was believable with her huge wide eyes that saw the outside world for the first time. I did figure out the twist about her being the wildling early on.

I felt a tug between two different movies. Was this a horror film? Or was this a character study about what it would be like to be totally sheltered and then see the amazing outside world for the first time? I don't think it holds up well as a horror movie. Nothing was very scary to me. I was much more interested in Powley's character as she experienced the outside world for the first time. Her scene as a passenger driving in a car for the first time was great. She held on for dear life as they traveled 25 MPH! I found myself thinking what it could be like to be locked up for 16+ years never experiencing the outside world.

Ultimately, she did make a horror transformation. I was disappointed that she never changed back and had to live out her life in Wildling form. I would have liked to have seen her change when she became one with nature or more sexual, but then change back to human form when just living her every day life. Major Issues for me: 1) I had a major issue with the ending. It was like the movie ran out of budget and had to end it. Did she really get to the Northern Lights by foot with a helpless baby? I didn't understand this at all. I know it was her dream to see the northern lights, but sorry, she couldn't just walk there could she?

2) What was with the "Daddy" character? Why did he save her to begin with? He was hellbent on destroying any trace of the wildlings. And if he knew that she wouldn't become a wildling until puberty, then why did she need to stay locked up until then? Didn't anyone notice him buying all this baby stuff? It's a really small town. People would notice. How did he care for the baby by himself? I have about 10 other questions about this "Daddy" character that made no sense to me.

I viewed this movie on Amazon Prime, and I found it an interesting movie to experience. I wasn't crazy about her ultimate transformation. It seemed like she had to live her life isolated with no friends and just her baby to take care of. Others have said this is the tale of a girl becoming a woman and dealing with mens' expectations and more. I would hope that after becoming a woman, you weren't left alone in the woods. I would hope you would be able to enjoy being part of the community and fully embrace your power and independence. I got none of this from the ending.

So much potential but failed to deliver

[vonna-05624 · 5/10 · 12 May 2019]

The story itself is a good story. So much more could have been done to develop this into a suspenseful thriller with a climactic ending, leading to another movie. However, instead of developing the story and the characters, it relied on gore and horror. The movie had some great acting talent whose talents were not at all displayed by the shallow script and character development. If you are looking for a mindless movie with a predictable plot and ending, this is it. If you are looking for something more thought provoking, pass this one by.

Decently done - could've been better

[TheAlmightyFinger · 6/10 · 25 September 2018]

Positives: "Wildling" is an original, refreshing take on werewolf lore. Bel Powley is excellent as the main character, supported by believable performances from the rest of the cast. The cinematography is good and the story develops at a reasonable pace.

Negatives: I felt that the final quarter of the film succumbed to slash/horror tropes that detracted from the intelligence of the rest of the film. A more subtle or poignant ending would have made this film memorable, maybe even achieving cult status. It saddens me that the screenwriter/director failed at the final hurdle.

Verdict: Definitely worth a watch, if only to revel in Bel Powley's amazing eyes.

Not as bad as you may think...

[tattoopig · 7/10 · 17 April 2018]

Interesting, if somewhat predictable, film about a young girl found locked in the attic of her house. She is saved by Liv Tyler, but is she really the one who needs saving, or should all the other characters run for the hills? Great acting all round make this very thin plot work. Beautiful camera work and lighting also add to the illusion that this is a big budget movie (It isn't. It's a cheap little indie pic). Def worth a watch to see the lead actress (Bel Powley) act everyone else off the screen.

Generally Rubbish

[rpkster · 3/10 · 11 April 2020]

Pretty much a pile of muck. You know basically immediately that the girl is the wildling. The sheriff and her brother don't. They buy her tampons and take her to parties. Luckily there is a guy in town who wears a pelt jacket and has a milky eye who really gets her. Laughable. Some OK cinematography.

Definitely a better love story than Twilight

[susana-c-fernandes · 7/10 · 11 April 2020]

The title is meant to clarify those who might be led to believe this is worse than Twilight, one of the worst movie sagas ever made. Of course it's not!!!

Wildling is a fantasy movie set on current times, which may not be for everyone, involving a girl who is haunted by the fear of a wild creature that her kidnapper convinced her to be real.

We follow this girl's journey as she discovers not all of her fears were unfounded after all.

The movie is OK, acting and special effects completely decent, strong storytelling, but we are left with the sense that it could have all been better explored. This could have been a really powerful coming of age movie, but turned out a bit less - it's a teenage fantasy/creature movie.

Nevertheless, it is a good one for the genre. I had a good time watching it. Not childish, not ridiculous, not laughable, a pretty solid movie for its genre. If you're into it, it's worth a watch. Definitely a better love story than Twilight.

What started out as a nice story with great acting ended out being a chewbacca movie

[lollipopmkb · 4/10 · 22 April 2018]

Don't waste your time it's complete garbage. The movie feels like it was subjected to a lot of cuts and the make up of the girl transforming into a monster later is the WORST. The actress did what she was told to do and you can feel she has great potential but honestly the makeup artist and the scenarist should quit doing their jobs.

Pretty good movie

[the_doofy · 6/10 · 3 August 2018]

I don't really get all the 'for this genre' reviews. Maybe its 2-3 people spamming. Its not a dam zombie movie or some such.

Good--The acting was extremely well done. The direction stayed on track. There were no hanging loose ends, there was closure to the ending. Yes, the viewer may not get what they want (for a change, thank god).

In any event, I personally found the movie reasonably original.

Bad--The wildling and humans turn out to be the same species, 'they' sacrificed plot believability in order to inject some empathetic drama. The primary antagonist does not add up, and this character gets typical Hollywood closure.

Just a little dull for my liking

[jtindahouse · 5/10 · 23 April 2018]

A movie needs a hook. It needs an element to it that keeps you intrigued and needing to know what's going to happen next. 'Wildling' has it for a little while, but then loses it in the second half of the film. In fact it starts out with a very intriguing scenario. A quite bizarre and seemingly twisted one in which you really do need to know what's coming next. Then about halfway through the films puts all its cards on the table and what plays out from then on was simply not interesting enough to sustain the story.

It's a great looking film there can be no question about that. A surprising amount of work has gone into making every shot in the film exquisite to look at. It's also very well edited and put together. I would happily put a big-budget feature in the hands of writer/director Fritz Böhm.

The acting was also pretty good for the most part. There are some quite strong actors/actresses among the cast. I did have a lot of trouble buying Liv Tyler as a policewoman though I have to say. Her voice was far too soft for the role and her personality didn't convince me either. There's just enough in 'Wildling' to keep it from becoming completely unwatchable, but it's certainly not a film that will stick with me in any way I suspect.

A well- balanced movie

[TerribleKatherine · 8/10 · 26 May 2019]

I really liked this one. The cast did a great job, the story was intact and the ending was just so beautiful. As a side note all the scenes in the forest were just crazy good and the atmosphere of the environment really got through to me. This movie had an important message about respecting the predators of the wild and I can relate to that. Some details could have been told more precisely, but overall the pacing was good and I felt this movie was long enough. So that's 8/10 and let us let the wildlings live free.

well acted TV horror film

[iamjamalwhite · 7/10 · 13 April 2020]

The main actress was 25 when they made this! She played a child becoming a woman becoming something else -- outstanding! The film progresses nicely and does a good job of shock and awe. Yes, there are some big holes (what happened to deer man?) but overall a fun ride.

Worse than I thought it would be.... and I didn't think it would be very good

[LittleLotti · 3/10 · 15 March 2019]

Wildling is the type of movie I'd expect to see on the SyFy channel. I just wanted to fast forward to the end to see what happens and get it over with. The effects are laughable and the weak and painfully obvious storyline doesn't help anything. I thought the trailer gave everything away but once I started watching the movie it was pretty clear that there would be no grand reveal as the story is transparent from the get go.

This one is a waste of time.

If there's one thing this film succeeded in with flying colors, it's the idiosyncratic use of the old werewolf concept.

[peterp-450-298716 · 6/10 · 10 May 2019]

Do you want to hear a story? Do you want me to tell you about the Wildling?

"Wildling" is a peculiar film. It's hard to put a specific label on it. One moment it feels like a teenage movie about a freshly emerging love. On the other hand, you can't call it a teenage film per se. It's a kind of coming of age film with an alternative twist. You could also call it a horror film with influences from werewolf films. But a "Wildling" actually belongs to a different kind of family of mythological creatures. And then there's the moment Anna (Bel Powley) enters our civilization after years of isolation. She suddenly faces our way of behaving and living. Immediately I thought of films such as "Mama" and "Pete's Dragon" where something similar happened. Add to this the hunting scenes in a wooded area and you can immediately conclude that this film cannot be classified directly under one specific genre. In that respect, it can already be called unique.

Let me first praise some elements of this movie. I found the choice of youthful actresses playing Anna amazingly successful. Aviva Winick, Arlo Mertz and Bel Powley each play a different period in Anna's life. There wasn't one moment that I thought there was something wrong with the appearance of Anna. They fit perfectly in the timeline. Subsequently, the transformation Anna underwent was well portrayed. Compliments for the make-up department. And finally a pat on the back for Brad Dourif who plays Daddy wonderfully, the person who takes care of and educates Anna in a sealed room. Still, strange I didn't immediately recognize Brad Dourif. His role as Wormtongue from "The Lord of the Rings" is nevertheless engraved in my memory. How he can display so many emotions in that limited span of time is simply genius. Unfortunately, I found the ultimate role of him in the entire story less convincing.

But as usual, you'll find a number of improbabilities in addition to the positive points. Not that "Wildling" drops to a miserably bad level, but it bothered me a little bit. The intro of the film is simply beautiful. Mysterious, intriguing and shocking at the same time. You constantly wonder which direction it wants to go and what's the ultimate objective. Is Anna a prisoner of a network of morbid perverts? Is the outside world uninhabitable as in so many apocalyptic films? Or is there an element of truth in the story Anna hears for years already about the "Wildling"? And when Daddy starts giving injections, it's really puzzling. And then there comes that turning point. An event I had questions about. During the film, you'll see that the person Daddy was an experienced hunter. Well, this is probably the first time that he simply misses his target.

It also seemed unlikely that Anna, after being isolated from the outside world for many years without any interaction with other individuals, adapted so quickly. Wasn't it better for such a unique person to be protected from the surrounding world? How is it possible Anna could go to a public school without any problem. A hostile environment, full of unknown emotions. I can imagine that this is very confusing for her. Let alone to let her go to a party with deafening booming music and liters of alcohol. She struggles like a fish on dry land. Another laughable moment was when Ellen (Liv Tyler) deposited a pack of sanitary pads in front of Anna. I suppose Anna had no idea what it was and what it was for. By the way, I also had trouble recognizing Liv Tyler immediately (also a "Lord of the Rings" participant). Maybe I miss her fairytale kind of appearance. Or her beauty starts to fade. But that's a different kind of reverie from me. And finally, I thought Daddy's final action during the hunt was terribly exaggerated. How he managed that (you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it), remains a mystery to me.

"Wildling" certainly isn't a bad movie. But in hindsight, it's all rather blurry and superficial. Not that an extensive and detailed explanation is necessary. But I expected some more background information about the origin of these mythical creatures. Maybe it's also because the film aims at too many genres. The fairytale mixes with horror elements and then transforms effortlessly into drama. "Wildling" can easily be added to other nature documentaries about animal species threatened with extinction. Never thought of seeing this concept in a soft-horror fantasy story. If there's one thing this film succeeded in with flying colors, it's the idiosyncratic use of the well-known werewolf concept. In short, a strange but special film.

A twist on the old tale of coming of age.

[benjaminlauriesmith · 7/10 · 15 April 2018]

Its hard to say exactly who the film is aimed at as I can see it appealing to all ages and genders for different reasons.

In essence its a coming of age movie about a young girl discovering herself and adapting to the world she finds herself in.

Its quite obvious to see why Bel Powley was cast as the main lead as she does such an amazing job of portraying someone with animalistic characteristics and equally as a child stepping into a young adults world for the first time.

If you are looking for a horror slasher gory monster movie then this really isn't it although there are some scenes of gore and violence its really more of a tangled love story about a girl finding her belonging in the world she finds herself thrust into.

While its entertaining and intriguing for the most part and as others have already stated it is obvious where the film is going but this none the less doesn't detract from the enjoyable experience.

Would I personally pay full price for this in a cinema? Probably not. Pay to stream it on download for the family; sure.