Beasts of the Southern Wild Review
4/4 Stars
A Beautiful and Poignant Tale
9 years old. I truly can't even comprehend that age for the performance little Quvenzhane Wallis gave. And then to think she was nominated for best actress? Mind-blowing. To me, this film was pure poetry. Every little thing about it was beautiful, yet greatly upsetting. It's also an eye opener of how the impoverished live.
Hushpuppy (Quvenzhane Wallis), lives in extremely poor conditions, often by herself. She does however have a dad (Dwight Henry), who at times may seem abusive. They live in area surrounded by polar ice caps, quickly melting, and threatening to flood and sink where they live. Her dad, throughout, is sick, and is getting worse. Ultimately the journey is about her and her journey to discover the world she plays a small part in.
There are just so many great things about this little film. It's tale of self- discovery and coming of age. It hints at the problem of native peoples/ modern society. The beasts in the story, who are animals from the ice caps, add even further meaning to the poetry throughout to the very end. I cannot use the word beautiful enough. It’s the perfect word to describe this film. While, I understand not everyone will be blow away by this film, it should at least be appreciated. Also, my highest regards to Miss Wallis. She has one bright and successful future ahead of her.