Settlers

By: MJ Asuncion

“Settlers” are those who move to live in a new country or area, normally to make the new area their home. In the literal sense of the word, settlers are making a place their own safe haven. We often think of a new place as somewhere no one else has been or somewhere that has been previously abandoned. Often, we don’t consider that anyone before us would want to come back and take claim on what we now consider ours.

In the film Settlers we learn that a family of three has moved to Mars following an ecological disaster on Earth. Reza (Jonny Lee Miller), his wife Ilsa (Sofia Boutella) and their young daughter Remmy (Brooklynn Prince) are settled and living on the desolate planet, seemingly alone. The property where the family lives is shown to be self-contained surrounded by vast empty land and distant hills. The audience is given a sense that they are safe in their sanctuary and have settled into a routine. Unfortunately, soon after the calm is the storm and hostile outsiders bring an unknown threat to their door. Life for the family changes at this moment and Remmy soon realizes that her parents have been keeping a secret from her with the arrival of Jerry (Ismael Cruz Córdova).

The film is broken into three chapters, each named appropriately after one of the main characters, and the audience will realize the meaning behind each as the story unfolds. Despite the chapters, it is clear that the story has two distinct periods centered around Remmy. The first is when she is still a young girl and the second is when she is older and coming of age (played by Nell Tiger Free). Remmy is the thread that runs through the entire film and, even though she may not be in every scene, it is apparent from the beginning her importance in the story.

Since the film only has the four main characters with virtually no supporting cast and is set in a dark and bare location, the cast is an integral part of the film’s success. Jonny Lee Miller and Sofia Boutella both did spectacular jobs in their portrayals of parents wanting to protect their child and their home. There was an easiness to their relationship which perfectly displayed their longtime trust and comfort with each other and their love for Remmy showed through in all their actions. Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Jerry brought a sense of impending threat and danger from the moment he first arrived. There are times where you feel that your guard is slowly coming down only to have it forcefully drawn back up. Both Brooklyn Prince and Nell Tiger Free are the standout performers in Settlers and the film is carried by their character Remmy. She is the most compelling character in the film and both actresses were able to capture her natural independent nature, fierce determination, internal curiosity and strength in both of their performances. Remmy’s story is seamless between the two actresses, as if they were played by the same person over a period of time.

Settlers is directed by Wyatt Rockefeller, who is a London-based filmmaker. He has written, directed, and produced a number of short films, commercials and documentaries, but Settlers is his first feature. In the film the style of storytelling is layered with dialogue and character interaction to help tell the story, as opposed to showing the viewers the physical elements or action. This technique works well to learn background information, gain insight on characters and to add anticipation of what may come next, but many times it leaves you wanting more. The audience is given just enough to put the pieces together but not enough to feel as if they are fully invested in the world he created.

For his feature directorial debut, Rockefeller scores a success mainly due his cast of characters who are driven by the talented cast. They bring his story and imagined characters to life, led by Prince and Tiger Free. Settlers will also draw the sci-fi fans who are always curious about the possibility and challenges of living on another planet. The film leaves a lot to the imagination and often I wished to see more of the planet and the dangers it brings. Overall, it is an interesting watch with a good plot, but felt a bit incomplete.