FULL DISCLOSURE:
I grew up in the country. My house was about 150 years old, while I lived there, surrounded by miles of fields, which my cousin farms to this day, for my family. Growing up, I had one recurring nightmare: a group of odd humanoids would mysteriously arrive in our fields and hid in my family’s barn, before attacking us. I had this nightmare many, many times. Even odder, I’d never seen a scary movie up until my teenaged years. So, where did this idea stem from?
Basing a horror movie, located in a rural setting with paranormal elements far, far from anyone who can hear your screams, brings back the night terrors. The Fields may not necessarily be the horror movie of my nightmares… but I actually liked this movie!
I have no idea how this direct-to-DVD movie got both Cloris Leachman and Anna Farris, but maybe the producers blackmailed them?
Back in the ’70s, Anna Farris is a dirty little hippy (not much has changed, Zing!). She got knocked up by drunk and is nowhere close to winning Mother of the Year. She dumps her poor child with her grandparents while she “works things out,” also known as “partying,” and he finds all sorts of mysterious phenomenona surrounding the wide open fields of wheat and corn, and not one adult believes him.
It is unclear who is the antagonist of the movie. Are the transient hippies the bad guys here? Has everything been a figment of the child’s imagination? Are the fields paranormal, actually bringing people’s fears to life? The answer is unclear.
Nothing beats a bitter, angry Cloris Leachman! Such range! I love her! While Anna Farris whisps in and out, the movie happens through the perspective of an 8-year-old boy… and life is very creepy, indeed. Under the Special Features menu, the screenwriter/producer made sure to declare this is a drama, not a horror movie. There’s no blood, no gore. Even though there are plenty of chills and scary moments, it’s seen from a child’s perspective. And my eyes were glued to the tube. I was pleasantly surprised! This flick is similar to Super 8, and that is a very good thing!
Strength: Something’s out there, but you never quite see it. Intense!
Weakness: Ambiguous conclusion… I need answers!
WTF Moment: So many scary things happen to this little boy, and he stays silent the entire time.
Notable Quotes:
– “Stay out of the corn! If you go in there, we’ll never find you. If we do find you, you’ll be all dead and blackened and smelly and just terrible.”
– “You know why old men fart more than old women do? Old women don’t keep their trap shut, for the pressure to build up!”
– “You should be more afraid of the living, than the dead.”
Review: 4/5