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| Images Courtesy of Oscilloscope |
Midlife
crises and arrested development are common themes in almost every form of human
expression. From television to the big screen, artists have consistently
explored generations in distress. When such a concept is wielded by
provocateur mastermind Joel Potrykus, it is transmuted into a midlife
apocalypse, a purgatory or regret and self-loathing. His latest feature
film, Vulcanizadora is not only his most personal, it is perhaps his
most important. Featuring a heartbreaking duo of
central performances, grunge laced visuals, and Potrykus's low-fi
sensibilities, this is one of the most haunting films of the year.
Derek and Martin are lifelong friends who are taking an ominous, memory fueled
hike in the Michigan woods. As the purpose of their journey is slowly revealed
and the unthinkable happens, difficult truths, existential terror, and perhaps
hope are all brought to the fore. A spiritual continuation of Potrykus' Buzzard,
this is a deeply personal exploration of friendship, masculinity, and the
absolute imperfection that is adulthood. Potrykus also wrote the script
and stars as Derek. Longtime collaborator Joshua Burge co-stars as
Martin, giving what is without question one of the strongest performances of
the year thus far. This is a brutal story that moves between melodrama,
pitch black comedy, and at times, personal terror and Burge does a remarkable
job navigating the landscape.
Derek and Martin are two sides to a familiar coin. Derek spends the journey reliving the glory days, singing, drinking, and blowing things up with homemade fireworks. Conversely, Martin is stoic, watching the proceedings with an almost calculated sense of commitment, to what remains a mystery until the shocking climax. The juxtaposition of two men who are approaching the unknown, one playful and remorseful, the other soulless and disheartened create a tableau of a generation that almost never was and the result is something truly memorable, if not emotionally scarring.
Adam Minnick's 16mm cinematography is interlaced with cuts of burning buildings and heavy metal riffs that work to create a constant sense of unease within the forest, not unlike Potrykus' The Alchemist. In the end, it is clearly the director's most personal work and whether it is remembered as a mic drop on his generation's struggles, a dissertation on fatherhood, or simply a horrific scream into the void will be up to each viewer.
Coming to theaters this weekend, Vulcanizadora is vintage Potrykus while also being his most important and intimate work to this day. A talented cast and crew take a subject that has been overdone and turn it into something that will never be forgotten.
--Kyle
Jonathan