The great thing about films is the diversity of topics that they cover. From love stories to gory nightmares and everything in between, there is no shortage of ways for films to get their message across and to try to entertain audiences.
Then there’s Delicate Arch. This film, from writer/director Matt Warren, is a bit hard to describe, so please bear with me here. The film has a bit of everything; it’s funny, it’s a bit ridiculous, it’s scary, and it’s an absolute mental minefield. Filmed in the desert of Moab, Utah, Delicate Arch is kind of your run-of-the-mill road trip film, in a way. Friends, attempting to get out of the range of an atmospheric disaster known as “The Inversion”, go on a fun road trip out to the desert to enjoy nature and camp out. And then they slowly realize they’re being watched, their worlds fall apart and their minds are broken by the fact that everything around them seems to be happening to them thanks to some malevolent force that is forcing all of their nightmares to come true for the sake of their own voyeurism. You know, that old trope.
Being serious though, this film is hard to describe, because it’s so much, all at once. There’s reality-bending visuals, obscured storytelling and the sensation of watching gets much more sinister when you realize that part of the film’s plot is that you’re sitting there, watching all this unfold. You watching is part of problem for the cast, and being there, seeing the horrors that unfold, well, it’s kind of your fault for being there to see it. You, us, anyone seeing the film, are at least partially responsible for what’s happening to this group of young people. In real time, the effects of the silent watcher, the shadow lurking in the dark, the unseen menace that unleashes hell on our unsuspecting victims is, in a way, us. And that’s just about the coolest thing ever put to film.
As we watch our cast, who consist of friends Grant and Cody (William Leon and Kevin Bohleber), Grant’s ex and now friend Wilda (Kelley Mack) and Wilda’s stoner non-binary cousin Ferg (Rene Leech), slowly go insane in the desert, we get the very obvious implication that all isn’t what it seems, and what we’re seeing is totally unreal, in many senses of the word. From mesmerizing drug trips to the appearance of Lovecraftian nightmare fuel, we get the very distinct feeling that all isn’t what it seems, much of which is seen through the watchful eye of Grant, who is bring a whole slew of issues with him on this trip.
Grant, the focal point of the film, is a film student in all the ways many people wish film students weren’t: fixated, defensive, obsessive and paranoid, his focus so fully on the film he wants to make on this trip and his still lingering feelings for Wilda that he can’t get our of his own way. His eye behind the camera when it isn’t looking at Wilda and Cody (who he suspects are hooking up behind his back) with suspicion, Grant’s journey in this film is the driving force, and that path leads straight into a brick wall of absolute madness.
The cast also needs to be commended on this. While a feature length film, other than a few extras, this film is solely focused on the four of them (with an bit of additional focus from the very off-putting narrator, who is played masterfully by Katie Self), and they all certainly deliver, playing into the unreality of the film in various ways while also somehow grounding that unreality in their performances. It very much feels like the wild things happening to them are just that: impossible things happening to normal people just trying to have a good time. All the while, they are reacting to those impossible things in the same way anyone would: by doing various combinations of screaming, running, swearing and bleeding. All four actors should be really proud of the performances they put in on a film that seems like it could have been a challenge to pull off given how unique it is.
Without explaining the whole film (something I would fail at doing even if given the opportunity), this is the kind of film that takes some time to digest, while also being utterly fascinating. It messes with reality in such a visceral way that it’s off-putting in a way you can’t look away from, with Warren delivering on a wild story and incredible direction, with the cast finding a way to film in various ways while also somehow grounding that unreality in their performances. It very much feels like the wild things happening to them are just that: impossible things happening to normal people just trying to have a good time. All the while, they are reacting to those impossible things in the same way anyone would: by doing various combinations of screaming, running, swearing and bleeding. All four actors should be really proud of the performances they put in on a film that seems like it could have been a challenge to pull off given how unique it is.
Let this piece serve as an indication that I could talk about this film for longer than its runtime, a testament to the impact it can leave on a viewer. It’s surreal, terrifying, relatable, and really puts the pressure on the audience in a way that many films wouldn’t even dare to do. It’s psychological horror, dystopian nightmare fuel, a deeply unsettling thriller and a bit of a adventure film as well, all wrapped into one. Visually, it’s stunning. There’s is no other way to describe some of the visuals Warren is able to make possible in this film. Beauty natural and unnatural is apparent in the Salt Lake Valley’s Arches National Park, and unfortunately for their tourism board, I think I’m gonna pass on a visit out there after seeing this film, even with the astounding beauty that is on full display.
As might be obvious, I really, really loved this film. It scared and fascinated me in all the right ways, leading to it being a film that I will be thinking about for a long time, and eager to show others so they can share in the same voyeuristic fascination that I felt, as well as the guilt implicit with doing so. Just a phenomenal film.
Anyone who is able should check this film out when it premieres on June 28th during the Dances with Films Festival in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theaters. For everyone unable to attend, just check the internet every few days until you can find a way to watch it. It’s well worth seeking out.
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