A DESERT is a new horror thriller that plays out in the desert. Much of it is quite minimalistic in story, but it’s character-driven and has a few wild surprises in store. Also, it gets VERY violent. Read our full A Desert movie review here!
A DESERT is a horror thriller that evolved and surprised in ways I never anticipated. Sure, it’s slow-burn and character-driven for much of the runtime, but it never gets boring. Fair warning, if you’re a little squeamish: The third act has a lot of violence.
Still, even the violence doesn’t feel gratuitous or forced. Instead, it simply feels like a natural extension of the very peculiar people we meet along the way. A small cast portrays key characters that are surprisingly memorable. The runtime is 103 minutes, and it works.
Continue reading our A Desert movie review below. Find it in theaters from May 2, 2025.
Sun-Bleached Neo-Noir Horror
A Desert is officially described as a “sun-bleached neo-noir horror film,” and I could not have put it better. Described as being about “time, the chaos of our world, and the relevance of images in the cultural desert we are faced with today,” and again, it sums it up perfectly.
Of course, all of this is the one-line descriptor that says nothing about the plot, but rather the feeling. Something I wish trailers would do rather than give an actual summary of the movie.
But, I digress.
The actual plot of A Desert begins with a photographer struggling to find his way back to his former glory days. In search of inspiration and new great shots, he heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest.
On this trip, he is desperately trying to recapture what gave him success earlier in his career. Driving around in the desert, he takes pictures of deserted cities and businesses, where nature has begun to reclaim the areas that were otherwise brutally carved out.
Depressed but finding hope
While our photographer does seem quite depressed as we see him looking for the next great shot, he isn’t without hope. He has a loving wife at home, and when we hear him talk to her, it seems obvious that he feels hopeful.
To a point, anyway.
We also see things from her point of view, and she’s more nervous that he may not succeed in finding his way back to his former “eye”. Still, she loves and supports him.
Our photographer is both up and down on his days out on the road. With no cellphone or other distractions, he only calls his wife from his hotel room.
The people he often ignores as he takes pictures of buildings and areas manage to worm their way in front of his lens. Suddenly, he finds himself existing in the dark and chaotic underbelly of America.
Even worse, he indirectly drags both his wife and a private detective into this nightmarish world. One that ends even wilder and darker than I ever imagined.
Watch A Desert in Select Theaters
Joshua Erkman is the director and co-writer of A Desert. The other writer on the screenplay is Bossi Baker. Previously, Joshua Erkman has directed several music videos, which is how many other stellar directors (including David Fincher and Jonas Åkerlund) started out.
The cast features David Yow, Kai Lennox, Sarah Lind, Zachary Ray Sherman, Ashley B. Smith, Rob Zabrecky, and S.A. Griffin. While all of them deliver strong and memorable performances, I have to highlight Kai Lennow, Sarah Lind, and Zachary Ray Sherman.
While I hesitate to compare the style of one director with anyone else, I feel it could help manage expectations. To me, Joshua Erkman delivers the same slow-burn intensity with a character-driven story as Osgood “Oz” Perkins.
In fact, I feel like Joshua Erkman has created something with A Desert that could be related to Longlegs, with the brutal violence of The Monkey. Basically, this one surprises and delivers on some wild twists, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance.
A Desert is out in Select LA Theaters from May 2, 2025. It comes to NYC on May 9, followed by a national roll-out in major theater chains on May 16.
Details
Director: Joshua Erkman
Writers: Joshua Erkman & Bossi Baker
Cast: David Yow, Kai Lennox, Sarah Lind, Zachary Ray Sherman, Ashley B. Smith, Rob Zabrecky, S.A Griffin
Plot
A past his prime photographer heads out on a road trip across the American Southwest to recapture the magic and success of his previous work. Instead, he finds himself thrust into the dark and chaotic underbelly of America and unwittingly drags his wife and a shady private detective down into this nightmare world with him.
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