There is a fine line sometimes between beauty and brutality, and Vesper skates along that line with quiet confidence.
Just under the surface of beautiful natural landscapes there is always the smell of death, as things rot and return to the earth. Allowing life to continue; sacrifice, layered with more sacrifice.
Peppered with familiarity; the organic mechanics of the works of Cronenberg, the uncanny nature of Avatar and Annihilation, the bleak mud-covered hopelessness of The Road, Vesper still manages to stand alone in a sea of mediocre and derivative science fiction. Because despite those familiar flavours, the recipe here feels wholly original.
Vesper (Raffiella Chapman) lives in a remote hut in a dense woodland. Her father, who she affectionately calls Pap (Richard Brake), is completely immobile, communicating via a small flying robot. Vesper and Pap explore the woodland for food and resources, in between carrying out experiments in an old, abandoned lab. She wants to modify the seeds they are able to buy from the controlling and powerful Citadel, so that they can continue to create more seeds, rather than being beholden to constantly buying more.
Buying has its own hardships, as the currency is blood, and Vesper has to go via her neighbour Jonas (Eddie Marsan) to do so. Jonas himself is not to be trusted, hovering between legitimate and exploitative and never really settling either way.
While searching the woods, Vesper finds a young woman. Elflike and beautiful, she is injured, the carnivorous plants of the woods latching to her and draining her. Upon her rescue, Vesper discovers that the young woman, Camellia (Rosy McEwan) holds the key to Vesper's continued survival. Be that via the seeds, or the Citadel, Camellia is a valuable asset, and Jonas is determined to have her for himself.
As mentioned, Vesper is a stunningly original piece of work. Despite these familiar aspects, the beauty blended with the brutality of this harsh and unforgiving landscape allows filmmakers Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper to really explore the nuances of life as we know it now. The hardships of poverty not making people experiencing it any less able to create art, music, and culture. And the wealthy have it all's being constantly victims or perpetrators to corruption and darkness. Despite the sheen that surrounds them.
Perhaps the most similar story would be 2018's Prospect, though even that seems small in scale in comparison, despite existing in a seemingly similar world.
The visual achievement too is striking, considering the low budget. This is not a film ruled by its special effects. They are used sparsely but when there they are seamless and act to expand and realise the world we are stepping into. The visuals are complimented by Dan Levy's sweeping and emotive score.
Vesper may be a quieter release this year, buried among the loud campaigns of big budget blockbusters. But it deserves its place among them, as if it's seen by enough people, it could blow them out of the water.
Signature Entertainment presents Vesper in cinemas and on digital 21 October
