Photographer Alex’s journey into the stark landscapes of California’s Yucca Valley begins as a solitary artistic pursuit. Armed with a large-format camera, he documents the eerie beauty of derelict cinemas and forgotten military outposts, all while insulated in his luxury vehicle. This quiet, methodical process is violently interrupted by an encounter with a hedonistic couple from a neighboring motel room, an event that shatters the film’s initial realism and sends the narrative spiraling into a more abstract and chilling territory.
The story then pivots, shifting focus to Alex’s wife, Sam, and a grizzled private investigator, Harold, as they traverse the same sun-bleached highways, seemingly in search of answers. The film excels in its visual composition, presenting a vision of the American West that is both stunning and decayed, suggesting a landscape that consumes those who merely see it as a subject for art, blind to the deeper, more sinister truths it holds.
This feature debut delivers a genuinely unsettling atmosphere, weaving together high-art sensibilities with gritty, visceral horror. It confidently joins a contemporary wave of cerebral horror films that favor mood and mystery over conventional scares. While its abstract leanings may not satisfy all genre fans, the film’s craft and unique perspective make for a hypnotic and memorable viewing experience.
