TERRA

TERRA depicts a war zone setting, following a war doctor and his medical staff who are forced underground into a makeshift hospital, only to be faced with a desperate father, Dabir (Ramin Farahani), and his daughter, who are willing to do whatever it takes to be helped to cross the border. Opening in an almost dystopian wartime backdrop, the film viscerally forces the viewer into a harrowing and desperate journey following a father and daughter trying to survive in the desolate war zone.

Even with the film's bleak subject matter, there's a beauty to be found within the performances from Ramin Farahani and Runya Ghani, who effortlessly portray the father and daughter. Their chemistry is magnetic, and the narrative remains character-focused primarily rather than a spectacle-heavy depiction of war, which makes their relationship profoundly compelling to witness. The narrative consistently hooks you in due to threats frequently looming over the central characters and a severe amount of tension being built up. Another substantial positive feature formally is the musical score, which anchors scenes of terror and keeps the flow of the pacing tight alongside meditative scenes of despair; however, it can become overbearing at times between sequences of dialogue. Depictions of wartime and a heavy focus on the injuries characters endure make the presentation raw and difficult to watch at times, and can easily get under your skin with the rich attention to detail.

While the pacing can become uneven at times, thanks to the lack of characterisation, specific characters are given, and it does lose some momentum towards the conclusion due to how frenetic the first 40 minutes are, the finale is suitably satisfying and pulse-pounding. The tight runtime works in its favour, with the piece never overstaying its welcome or feeling prolonged. Once the tightly managed opening concludes and the inner conflict hits the fan, the piece remains engaging and focused throughout the rest of the runtime. The film makes outstanding use of its limited budget, primarily setting it around one area, which keeps the narrative focus linear, rarely putting a foot wrong while tackling culturally relevant and thematically potent themes of the horrors of war. Rory Wilson impressively helmed the piece, utilising extreme close-ups which feel as claustrophobic as a straitjacket, never shying away from the brutality and isolation of fear.

Whilst the depth of the characters is perhaps compromised by overly convoluted inner revelations that sometimes feel shoehorned in for shock value, the central twist still manages to be compelling and gut-wrenching. The father-child trope can feel derivative of other pieces of media; however, the performances and chemistry from the two actors elevate the material to outstanding heights. Showcases of empathy towards a father who is willing to do what it takes to protect his family and doctors trying their best to help as many helpless victims as possible are profoundly universal themes and something that is naturally compelling as a viewer. The conclusion of the story is emotionally overwhelming while wrapping up narrative threads in a satisfying manner with a sense of closure for the audience, for what is suggested for the character's further journey beyond the credits.

TERRA is an unforgettable depiction of the horrors of a bleak war zone, while providing a colossal helping of empathy towards the doctors and helpless individuals, unfortunately forced into a horrific situation. The central relationship and performances from Ramin Farahani and newcomer Runya Ghani are outstanding, alongside a mesmerising supporting cast. A raw and uncompromising vision that rarely lets up and never loses sight of its character-focused narrative.