Untamed\u201d is an appropriate description of Amat Escalante\u2019s latest film, which uses a relatively benign plotline \u2014 an unhappy couple have secrets to spare, and then a compelling newcomer arrives in their town \u2014 to frame up one of the most wild films of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Untamed\u201d follows married couple Alejandra and Angel, who are struggling to connect thanks to both petty domestic squabbles and a massive mystery that could upend not just their relationship, but their entire family and their provincial city. When the mysterious Veronica arrives and befriends Alejandra\u2019s brother Fabian, she introduces some unexpected new elements into everyone\u2019s lives, and no one will be the same. Sounds standard, right? Hardly.<\/p>\n
Soon, Veronica and her new acquaintances are trotting off into the nearby woods \u2014 where, not to worry, a meteorite has recently landed \u2014 to meet a mysterious creature that offers up both pleasure (yes, that kind) and pain to the various people who come to interact with it, including Alejandra, Angel, and Fabian. Part horror story, part sci-fi outing, and part \u201cwait, what the hell is that thing?,\u201d the film deftly blends relatable problems with some very out of the box solutions.<\/p>\n
The film was a hit on the festival circuit, where it earned Escalante accolades at events as diverse as Fantastic Fest (so you know it\u2019s insane) and Venice (where the director won the Silver Lion and was nominated for both the Golden Lion and the Queer Lion<\/strong>), and it\u2019s now bound for a limited release, all the better to hit more audiences right in the ol\u2019 shock and awe.<\/p>\n Put it this way: you\u2019re guaranteed to gasp at least once \u2014 a big one, borne of shock and maybe fear \u2014 during this trailer, and this is just two minutes of the entire film. Check it out below, and prepare yourself.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Untamed\u201d will hit limited release on Friday, July 21.<\/p>\n