Directed by Jaco Bouwer and written by Tertius Kapp, Gaia is a South African horror film which had its world premiere at SXSW Online 2021 last night. The film stars Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Alex van Dyk, and Anthony Oseyemi.
While on surveillance in a dense forest, park ranger Gabi (Monique Rockman) and her boss (Anthony Oseyemi) quickly get separated, leading Gabi to an encounter with a man named Barend (Carel Nel) and his son Stefan (Alex van Dyk). The two survivalists have taken to life in the forest, which is also home to aggressive, mutated beings infected by something ancient and unknown.
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The film, which transitions between English and subtitles throughout, is superbly acted. Monique Rockman gives a fantastic performance and conveys her innermost worries through facial expressions and eye glances. This is critical for a role in which not everything can be said due to contributing factors. Carel Nel finely balances frail and deranged with able-bodied and mentally-aware. Although there are dangerous threats in the forest, at times Barend can be more terrifying by Nel simply not letting the audience read his emotions.
The outstanding FX is another key element in making Gaia a success on-screen. There were scenes that literally made my skin crawl; horrors seemingly plucked straight from a nightmare. But there is beauty, too. While the forest gives us otherworldly visuals to soak in, the tight cinematography ensures that the audience never feels safe. Camera angles add a sense of dread and claustrophobia, complemented by a score that drives those fight or flight senses home.
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With all of that being said, one thing that I must mention is the familiarity to Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us video game. The main creature design in the film can be closely compared to creatures in the game, while both stories deal with a mutated fungus. This is not mentioned as a knock against the film, but those who have played the game series will most likely make the same creature comparison.
Regardless of those similarities, Gaia stands on its own as a terrifying and visually-stunning film. From the camera work to the cast to the FX crew and beyond, there is a lot of talent on display.
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