The Well
Director: Hubert Davis
Starring: Shailyn Pierre-Dixon, Sheila McCarthy, Arnold Pinnock, Idrissa Sanogo, Joanne Boland, Noah Lamanna, Natasha Mumba, Steven McCarthy, Cameron Nicoll
In a post-apocalyptic world struggling with environmental collapse, ever-dwindling resources, widespread illness, and famine due to a water-borne virus, the Devine family - Paul (Pinnock), Elisha (Boland), and their daughter Sarah (Pierre-Dixon) - live a secluded life in the forest where they hide a secret freshwater supply. When a young man, Jamie (Sanogo), arrives unexpectedly, the family are immediately wary, but Sarah forms a bond with him. After the Devine's well stops functioning, Sarah and Jamie sneak off to a compound to claim the necessary parts to fix the water source before it becomes infected. There, Sarah meets Gabriel (McCarthy), a matriarchal figure who governs the compound and speaks in cryptic parables. As Sarah questions Gabriel's motives, she finds herself in the crosshairs as she struggles to survive.
"The Well didn't need big action scenes or hordes of infected folk to tell its story and to set the scene, but the lack of tension hindered the story. "
Hubert Davis' The Well delivers a story that extols the need for togetherness, community, and the necessity of co-existing through tough times. It also poses the question of whether it is enough to be a good person in a decaying world. When everyone is suffering, what do you do if you have access to privilege? It's an interesting discussion piece, but not one that The Well handles particularly well.
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Despite a runtime of ninety-one minutes, The Well suffers from significant pacing issues. The film’s slow, patient rhythm mirrors a world without quick fixes, but it never progresses beyond a crawl. Coupled with there being no real tension throughout, which is especially odd when you consider the contamination aspect of the film, the film felt like a chore after the first act. Now, The Well didn't need big action scenes or hordes of infected folk to tell its story and to set the scene, but the lack of tension hindered the story. Gabriel, the film's most antagonistic figure, posed little threat beyond odd ramblings and the occasional slap. It's fair to say, though, that The Well effectively evokes fear by presenting a contamination scenario that feels frighteningly plausible on a global scale.
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Despite some solid performances from Shailyn Pierre-Dixon, Sheila McCarthy, and Noah Lamanna, The Well also suffered from a lack of emotional resonance. The majority of the affecting moments came from Paul's search for his daughter, but eventually, that thread began to feel like an afterthought. Lamanna felt like the emotional anchor in the film, their performance carrying a nuance that stood out, especially given the role they are asked to play. We do see glimpses of the Devine family's past and a world that had seen better days, but they lacked a real impact to be truly effective.
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Stuart James Cameron's cinematography grounds the film with an earthy colour palette against stark and empty environments. The Well is certainly a well-shot and polished film to look at. The landscapes look far more lush than those, say, in The Last of Us, which sees industrial decay and towns with vehicles left to rot. Maybe the towns and cities in the world of The Well are like that, but what we do see is nature taking back its lands.
Though the story eventually resolves with much-needed notes of hope, the film ultimately left me unmoved. While the sombre tone and slow pace align with the narrative, their execution hinders the story, resulting in a well-intentioned yet meandering film.
July 22nd 2025