To spoil the rest would be a disservice, but it’s worth noting the journey of Lisa, who goes from being suicidal, to becoming an unstoppable and determined force of nature who isn’t about to let some tunnels kill her. In a neat almost spoiler-y twist, things soon take a turn towards science-fiction when we’re introduced to a skull-like contraption that might be the most interesting horror visual of 2021 (aside from the chair throw in Malignant) and burnt maniacs who crawl through the tunnels looking to violently bite, claw and throttle anyone unlucky enough to come across them. Immediately we’re thinking she’s part of a bored billionaires death game because it would take millions of dollars and loads of discreet contractors who signed non-disclosure agreements and didn’t ask about the acid traps or flame throwers that work on highly technical timers. In a smart filmmaking choice, her journey is lit by a large wristwatch-from-hell that emits a yellow light in the dark tunnels and turns red to let her know when things are about to get deadly. ![]() From there, things go dark and the next time we see Lisa she has been changed out of her clothes, and stuffed into a form-fitting Hunger Games-esque outfit meant to streamline her journey through a system of tunnels that are trying to kill her. ![]() Before she’s flattened, the car stops and we meet a stranger who may or may not be the killer people are talking about on the car radio. This is where we meet Lisa (Gaïa Weiss), who is laying in the middle of the road hoping a careless driver uses her as a speed bump. Soundtracked by the Shawn James song “Through the Valley,” it establishes the isolation and wide open terrain where a massive system of tunnels could be built to allow for the ensuing death and carnage to go unnoticed. Meander kicks off with a birds-eye view shot of a car driving through the deep woods towards the middle of nowhere. The 90-minute experience directed by Mathieu Turi is lean and mean and surprisingly easy to follow as the vast tunnel system in which the film takes place has a certain logic (horrible things happen), and every piece of death puzzle plays an important part. There’s something refreshing and admirable about the straightforward world building and dedication to creating an experience that stands alongside movies like Cube or The Descent. Normally I dislike the phrase, but it has definitely been living rent-free in my head since the first viewing. It’s been well over a month since I watched Meander and I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I sat down and watched it again and I’m happy to report that it’s even better than I remembered. I love how it quickly gets to the action, and builds towards a satisfying conclusion. Quick thoughts – Grade – A- – Meander is a lean and mean horror film that is refreshingly straightforward.
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