Direction: R.T. Thorne
Country: Canada
40 Acres is a gnarly, slightly cynical thriller executed with precision but ultimately short on impact. Co-writer and debut director R.T. Thorne delivers a well-crafted film that nevertheless could have used a few more daring ideas and a sharper edge of imagination to fully succeed.
Set in post-apocalyptic Canada, the story follows the Freemans, a Black farming family determined to defend their fertile land from outsiders and cannibal raiders. Their rule is simple: ‘trust no one, and mercilessly annihilate trespassers. Lurking beneath the blood and grit is a pointed social critique—land ownership and theft—since the Freemans are both African-American and Native, while the marauding invaders are predominantly white men.
Despite this intriguing layer, everything in 40 Acres feels carefully telegraphed, playing into the familiar rhythms of survivalist cinema we’ve seen countless times. The film raises stakes, develops threats, and maintains its grim tone with consistency, yet rarely ignites with urgency or surprise. In its attempt to flesh out character backstories, it sometimes loses focus, slipping into routines that blunt the tension.
