Starring Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snaer Guðnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson

Directed by Valdimar Jóhannsson

A24, in cinemas now

 

An unhappy, childless couple in rural Iceland make a shocking and life-changing discovery in their sheep barn.

We’ve all heard the myth that, aerodynamically, a bumblebee shouldn’t be able to fly. It isn’t true, but if we indulge the metaphor for a moment, then, similarly, Icelandic release, Lamb, has no business being the rather excellent movie that it undoubtedly is. The track record for ‘ovine horror’ isn’t great. The main contender is the enjoyably ridiculous New Zealand comedy monster pic, Black Sheep.

I’d skimmed a couple of favourable reviews, but I have to admit I was dubious. On paper it’s a daft, risible idea – that we should emotionally engage with the idea of a sheep-human hybrid being the credible emotional lynchpin of a cinema feature – but it works. Lamb is a truly beautiful, moving and haunting 105 minutes of Icelandic myth and weirdery, played out against the modern and completely recognisable ‘reality’ of a remote, run down North Atlantic sheep farm.

To be clear, although there are moments of disquiet – not to mention a surreal mutton-based nod to The Shining – this isn’t really a horror film. It’s more a fable, a morality tale, a poetic, cautionary riff on the timeless ‘changeling’ and ‘stolen-child’ stories that have echoed through every culture that ever was.

Yes, it’s a slow burn to start with – and I could have done with a few more story beats perhaps – but Lamb is well worth sticking with and, played with utter sincerity by Rapace and her two male oppos, this reviewer didn’t feel short-changed.

I don’t want to say any more.

Lamb is best experienced rather than described.

8/10

Martin Jameson