Lamb (2021) // [R] Horror/Drama
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
Lamb is a story about an Icelandic couple who have a sheep farm, and encounter a sheep/human hybrid when one of their ewes gives birth. The two take in the offspring which has a lamb head and one lamb limb, the rest being the body of a human child. The odd family grows closer, with the couple seemingly growing happier and more defensive of their adopted child. The family meet the inherent complications of defying nature.
Lamb is visually beautiful, this is undeniable. The color grading, the setting in Iceland, the beautiful actors, the oncoming existential crisis-- what more could you possibly ask for?Â
At first, I wouldn’t shut up about how Ingvar (the new father) probably shagged a sheep which resulted in the birth of a sentient half-sheep/half-human creature. One of my problems with the film was that the mythology behind this chimera was never actually explained. There is no reason for why this situation even exists besides a potential sheep-fucker or... creative freedom. And there was still no explanation for Ada (the sheep/human hybrid) at all. That lack of reason (or lore, s’il vous plait) left me feeling confused the entire time, and not in the good way.
Other than this tiny technicality, I thought that the idea of defying nature was absolutely terrifying. Hell, if I encountered a hybrid babysheep I’d probably scitter around before succumbing to total shock. It’s not so much that the creature scares me, it’s the implication (or rather, evidence) that this is even possible that’s scary. What’s even more terrifying are the questions that this leaves you with. Why is this real? How did this happen? How could the existence of this lamb-baby creature go incredibly wrong? What other creatures unknown to man exist? Does the creature think? Feel? Plot my death? And a plethora of other mind-consuming questions.
Other themes of the movie include that of a loss of a child, solitude and its effect on isolated groups/individuals, and honestly.... the scariness of sheep.
I think that Lamb is worth watching for the dread of the unknown, but other than that, the film itself is utterly forgettable. And confusing. And long. But it’s by A24, so it was necessary to watch.Â
Have a good BAHHHHHH.
-Sarai