'The Wasteland' takeaway: The movie feeds off on sound and symbolism 

With The Wasteland, Netflix brings to its viewers another splendid psychological thriller.

Situated in the middle of nowhere, the movie builds on paranoia and jump scares to create moments of horror. The splendid cast of three and the beautiful yet eerie frames of the vast expanse, capture the essence of The Wasteland.

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A brief summary of The Wasteland

An isolated family living in the middle of nowhere is torn apart when an unseen evil decides to pay them a visit. After having escaped from the gruesome war in the country, Diego and his parents have isolated themselves in the middle of a wasteland.

However, peace is nowhere to be found. The threat of the unknown looms over them and when one day, they find a wounded man afloat on a boat in the stream, their lives take a turn for the worse.

Diego's father told him stories of 'the beast' lurking near the horizon, but little did the young boy know that it was drawing closer by the day. When Diego's father leaves on a perilous journey leaving him and his mother behind, the threat of the supernatural is brought home.

Everyday the two live in fear, seeing things near the horizon that seem to draw nearer to them with every passing day. However, the beast has already pervaded their safe space and taken over their lives. Will Diego manage to escape from its clutches?

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The Wasteland feeds off on sounds and symbolism

What is fantastic about The Wasteland is how the director chose to develop its horror. With minimal focus on visual horror, director David Casademunt has balanced the entire genre on sound and symbolism.

The beast hardly appears in its shape throughout the movie. It is manifested through aural effects and symbolism. Throughout the first half of the movie, the wooden figurines are used as symbolism for the beast who has been described as 'hollow.'

In the latter half, it was portrayed through darkness, reflections, and silhouettes. Only in one scene did the beast have a distinct visual representation.

Throughout the movie, an atmosphere of fear and paranoia was created using only sounds, be it loud and sudden noises or suspenseful music. The latter is in fact the staple of the horror genre.

It is really commendable that the director has created the moment of hysteria and horror in The Wasteland solely based on these aspects.