Lamb is a startling cinematic exploration into the depths of grief, the drive of parenthood, and the nature of devotion. In the wilderness of Iceland, a couple longing for a child comes across an odd-looking baby in their barn – essentially a sheep-human hybrid. María (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snær Guðnason) decide to call her Ada and raise her in their home as their own daughter. But within the confines of this rural fantasy, darker elements lurk behind the rolling green hills and towering mountains, unbeknownst at first to the happy new family of three. Described as a gem of folk horror, this film is as internally strange as it is visually outstanding.
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Lamb, or Dýrið, is flavored by folklore and headed by Valdimar Jóhannsson and Icelandic writer Sjón. Distributed by A24 in 2021, it was the product of a film collaboration between Iceland, Poland, and Sweden. According to the Icelandic Review, Lamb was a hit at the American box office, becoming the highest-grossing Icelandic film of all time in the United States. Yet it seemed quickly forgotten by longtime fans of A24 in favor of the production company’s more popular “true horror” releases like Hereditary and Midsommar. Lamb’s trailer alone developed a looming feeling of dread, so the full film deserves to be appreciated for the unique art piece it truly is. Here’s why this bizarre movie is extremely underrated.
Stunning Setting and Atmosphere
A24
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Icelandic countryside, the story of Lamb is nestled within the vast landscapes and sheer cliffs that surround María and Ingvar’s farm. The lonely, foggy atmosphere that is created truly isolates viewers within the world of the film, almost like an enclosed soundstage, since its characters don’t really venture beyond it. While the couple is eventually joined by Ingvar’s unsavory brother Pétur (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson), they’re otherwise alone besides the surrounding animals. The progression of the film reminds us that some of the darkest stories can be told in the most beautiful places; an interesting juxtaposition given the visually dark vibe that audiences typically expect from a horror movie.
One of the most impactful threads within the story is María and Ingvar’s desperation to construct a complete family, no matter what it may look like to outsiders. A Roger Ebert review offered, “María and Ingvar welcome [Ada] into their modest home so warmly and casually that you wonder whether they are able to see what the rest of us do. They feed her, bathe her, and tuck her in like everything is extremely normal…” When Pétur arrives, he isn’t happy at first about this outlandish and unnatural occurrence. But María takes her expanded motherhood seriously enough to the point where she shoots and kills Ada’s biological mother, a ewe from her barn who keeps trying to get into the house. She even buries her to ensure that she doesn’t come back for Ada.
Minimal but Impactful Dialogue
One unique storytelling device results in a lack of consistent dialogue throughout the film. Lamb’s sparse verbal offerings come across in English-captioned Icelandic, encouraging viewers to pay attention to the few statements made out loud. A Rolling Stone review reads, “Director Valdimar Jóhannsson is toying with us, keeping things cryptic, dropping tiny bits of information here and there, just enough to keep folks one half-step behind everything.” But this choice also allows for a more quiet narrative to take the helm – the point of view of the film’s animal cast. With many low-level shots corresponding to a sheep’s vantage point or a border collie’s perspective, for example, they are quiet vessels for the furthering of the story when the film falls silent.
Portrayal of Grief
Lamb captures grief in a heartbreaking manner, portrayed through the portrait of a couple who wants nothing more than a child. The audience learns that Ada was the name of María and Ingvar’s human daughter who passed away, which they then passed down to the baby they find in the barn. The new Ada even seems to adopt the wardrobe that the old Ada left behind, dressed in a sunny selection of sweaters and overalls. It appears tragic to outsiders like Pétur, who remarks in disgust that Ada is just an animal. He even takes her out into a field with a gun in his hand, only to return with her still in tow after becoming more fond of her. Grief makes people behave strangely, and the events of Lamb are an evident example of unhealed familial trauma.
The Twist Ending
It’s safe to say that most viewers flocked to the internet after coming out of this movie, desperate to understand the ending’s true meaning. Reminding us of its status as a horror film, the final sequence quickly disrupts any sense of pastoral positivity. The mysterious creature that snuck into the barn at the beginning of the film returns to snatch María and Ingvar’s rifle. The following morning, Ingvar and Ada return to the field in search of María and Pétur. The creature meets the father-daughter duo out of nowhere – he’s Ada’s real father, a bipedal sheep-man who wields the weapon with shocking precision and shoots Ingvar. He takes Ada by the hand, a visual representation of nature reclaiming its lost little one, which leaves María to find Ingvar in his last moments. With such a strange initial setup, anything could have happened to wrap the story up, but this sad surprise was truly jarring.
