The House of Sand

Though it opens with a scene of impressive grandeur – a large group of villagers attempt to make their way across an aggressive-looking desert – The House of Sand is soon revealed to be an overly pretentious, utterly dull piece of work. Part of the problem is the film’s unusual structure, in which time passes without so much as an onscreen notification (the first time this happens, as a result, one can’t help but wonder if the reels are somehow playing out of order). Exacerbating matters is the absurd storyline, featuring a mother and daughter who are doomed to spend their lives in the middle of said desert (the other villagers abandon them the very next day, while the daughter’s husband dies in a fit of rage). About midway through The House of Sand, the film’s point – life in a barren desert sucks – has been driven home countless times, leading to a distinct feeling of repetition (screenwriter Elena Soarez just doesn’t have anything else to offer). And while there’s no denying that Ricardo Della Rosa’s cinematography is impressive, it’s about the only worthwhile aspect of the film.

* out of ****