“Just north of the city of Whithren, hidden in the heat, wild horses run along the coast. Once a year, they are trapped and exported to the southern tip of Levithen, a city in constant winter. There are tickets for passage aboard this yearly transport ship, but they are a rare commodity”
In the not too distant future, the world is in bad shape. Moira (Jordan Monaghan) is on her own in this world after her mother dies giving birth to her. She is trying to get a ticket out of her current situation when she meets Lawrence (Nicholas Ashe Bateman) a gangster who is also looking for a way out of this garbage world. He has a more violent approach than she does and it gets complicated when a baby washes ashore.
34 years later, Eirah, (Yasamin Keshtkar), has grown into an angsty young woman who is also looking for a ticket out. Things don’t go well for her and her sister, Elien (Maxine Muster), as they seek help from their mother’s old friend, Lawrence. It’s not until Moira and Lawrence meet up again that the truth comes out about where he disappeared to.
Writer/director Nicholas Ashe Bateman did his very best at creating an original, dystopian world, but with very little success. Choppy editing and basic cable SFX are unable to save this pretentious, disjointed and simply, boring movie. The actors are doing the best they can with a script that lacks any character development or plot. Beautiful cinematography and production design can not save this film from being a mediocre Columbia University grad student-esque feature that comes off as Tree of Life non-linear narrative ripoff that goes no where and doesn’t leave the audience wanting more.
The Wanting Mare is available to rent or own on digital HD from Bulldog Film Distribution on 7 February 2022
Reviewed February 5, 2022 (screener provided by publicist). Rating: TBC. Running time: 89 min.
PRODUCTION: A Bulldog Film Distribution release, presented by Anmaere. Producers: Nicholas Ashe Bateman, Shoaib Iqbal, David Io Ross, Zack Schaefer & Jeff Walker. Executive producers: Mohammed Abuhabda, Ibrahim Alziq, Robert Brennan, Gideon Cofie, Richie Hartz, Lawrence Inglee, Salahalde Kahlil, Noah J. Kim, Matthew T. Welsh, Bulland Zaman, Shan Zeb & Jehad Zedan.
CREW: Director/writer/editor: Nicholas Ashe Bateman. Cinematography: David A. Ross. Music: Aaron Boudreaux.
CAST: Jordan Monaghan, Josh Clark, Yesamin Keshtkar, Edmond Cofie, Christine Kellogg-Darrin, Nicholas Ashe Bateman, Maxine Muster, Ashleigh Nutt, Anthony Perullo & Meghan McGarry.