Review by Cameron Maitland

The genre of tragedy rarely gets a foothold in modern American film yet, if festivals are any indication, it continues to thrive around the world. Rodrigo Pla's The Desert Within may seem like the next in line of South American tragedies but it has a few unique things to say.

The film follows a father, Elias, who, faced with religious persecution during the Mexican Revolution, attempts to get his unborn son baptized. A series of tragedies sparked on by selfish decisions leaves Elias castaway from his village into the desert with his children attempting to redeem himself in the eyes of God waiting for a sign. He employs his children in building a church to please God and defy the revolutionaries. As the tragedy continues and God’s signs are questioned it becomes clear that Elias' intentions may not be so holy.

The film is shocking and heart-wrenching in its unflinching portrayal of tragedy and hardship and almost teeters on the edge of melodrama. Luckily the solid pacing, effortless acting and great use of the church set pave over many of the bumps in the story. Pla also takes advantage of rudimentary animation that adds a lot of uniqueness and heart to the otherwise cold tragedy.

Where many South American tragedies dealing with the hardships of revolution turn to subtly deal with religion's place, this film turns directly to it, for good or ill. Its questioning of motivations and practice in religion are unique enough to make the film, and the tragedy contained within, haunting and unique.

The Desert Within
Rodrigo Pla | Mexico | 2008 | 112min