In the heart of the scorching desert, a tangled narrative unfolds in the film “A Desert,” directed by Joshua Erkman. The story follows photographer Alex Clark, played by Kai Lennox, as he embarks on a road trip through the desolate landscapes of America, capturing the eerie beauty of abandoned factories and pet cemeteries.
One fateful night at a motel, Alex encounters the enigmatic siblings Renny and Susie Q, portrayed by Zachary Ray Sherman and Ashley B. Smith, respectively. This chance meeting sets off a chain of events that will forever change the lives of everyone involved.
Erkman and co-writer Bossi Baker craft a deviously captivating story that defies traditional narrative structures, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats as the plot twists and turns unpredictably. The cinematography by Jay Keitel beautifully captures the vastness and emptiness of the desert, immersing the audience in the dusty heat of the surroundings.
The ensemble cast delivers standout performances, with Sarah Lind shining as Alex’s worried wife Sam, and Sherman and Smith embodying the depravity of their characters with chilling intensity. As the characters navigate dark and bloody roads, “A Desert” emerges as a neo-noir masterpiece that is both hypnotic and ferocious.
Like a jazz score punctuating the images, “A Desert” is free-form, loose, and unpredictable in all the best ways. This unique and mesmerizing film, showcased at TriBeCa 2024, is a must-watch for those with a thirst for the dark side of cinema.