Movie Review: Bos (The Forest)
One-liner: An enigmatic lead, captivating post-apocalyptic tale and lush natural world compel this modest, naive and elusive adventure romance drama.
Bos (The Forest) is a enticing post-apocalyptic adventure romance drama, which tells the story of a young wanderer, who finds himself alone on a quest for survival following a nuclear holocaust. Taking to the woods, Heinrich adapts to find shelter and forage for food. A lush new world, able to grow without human intervention, he believes he’s the last remaining human on the planet. After four years, Heinrich discovers he’s not alone when he meets Em, a young woman with a secret.
A contemporary Garden of Eden story, there’s a playful innocence at the heart of Bos, which at times comes across like Blue Lagoon in terms of its idyllic setting and young romance. At first left to their own devices, the blossoming romance is cut short by other forest dwellers with criminal intent. Fostering a deep sense of humanity and purity, the idealisation is corrupted by the introduction of this gang. Their attempts to control young Em put them at odds with the harmonious vibrations of this New Eden as they encounter the innocent, who seems powerless.
A political game ensues as the hero attempts to rescue the damsel from her nefarious captors as a Robin Hood element bubbles up. A fairly simple tale on the surface, Bos has an epic quality brought forth by majestic natural vistas and a resonance with the work of Studio Ghibli. An intriguing fantasy aspect enhances this environmental post-apocalyptic adventure romance drama giving it another dimension to disrupt and shift perspective in a subtle way. This shape-shifting genre play keeps one guessing as it defies classification.
There’s a table-turning effect that echoes throughout the film as it remains elusive and enigmatic much like its central character Em. A shy forest nymph who doesn’t speak much there’s an art to the screenwriting as the voiceless character finds her place in this new world. Bos could have been much grittier in its retelling, not shying away from violence but uses broad brushstrokes to craft its characters and unfurl its parable-style storytelling.
The themes of love, survival, purity, nature and living in harmony offer up a magical natural world revelling in the romantic notion of living off the land, yet restrained by the darker side of human nature. Deceptively simple on the surface, there’s a growing complexity to the character dynamics as first impressions are transformed and greater nuance unearthed along the way. A story of good versus evil, the twists and turns add texture and emotional substance as things progress from the purest of intentions to a corruption of the soul.
“Okay, but what if I was the last man on earth?”
There’s an added Biblical element to Bos harping on the Garden of Eden rebirth and in its “parable” simplicity where the channel of morality minimises character detail. A beautifully shot and colourful film, there’s a surreal edge to the lush serenity and constant backdrop of nature thanks to pristine cinematography. Surprisingly peaceful in its own way, almost devoid of human creation and civilisation, this refocus is refreshing.
Leaning into their characters, good casting adds another level of harmony in terms of this resonance. It’s difficult to think of another actor who could substitute for Simone Neethling after this performance, embodying much of the film’s tonal qualities to capture its essence. She co-stars alongside a valiant and pure-of-heart Ruan Wessels, who takes a stand against the ragtag gang played by a menacing Roderick Jaftha, cantankerous Charlie Bouguenon, shifty Solomon Cupido and burly Roy van Eck. Most of the characters fit like a hand in a glove, adding to the organic quality of the film.
Based on the screenplay, this is a faithful translation that effectively captures Reine Swart’s vision. A modest production it’s nimble and visually-arresting, able to outperform itself in realising this story. Co-directors Hendrik Cronje and Mari Molefe van Heerden have captured something simple yet special. They allow the story enough room to breathe, navigating the themes dexterously enough to be built to something quite touching.
Somewhat naive, Bos leans into this dimension much like the world of Studio Ghibli without downplaying the darkness of the human heart. Dealing with dreams and nightmares it creates an interesting middleground for its characters to take root. Having a subtle ecological message, Bos does offer a thought-provoking reflection based on its treatment of the main character – a reflection of man’s exploitation of nature.
An enticing and intriguing watch, the third act does seem very rushed. A quick snap much like the build-up in a Sergio Leone western, everything seems to happen very suddenly and zips to an abrupt resolution. While it could have benefited from higher stakes and greater depth, this tale is entertaining, constantly curious and picturesque, counterbalancing naivety with a world-weary swagger.
The production’s overall quality and contrasts are good enough to sustain the undercurrent of tension with an air of the unpredictable. Bos exits after 75 minutes, which does seem quite rushed, but there’s still much to appreciate. A modest production with a big heart, there’s an abundance of potential for a Hollywood remake in the future.
The bottom line: Captivating
