TIFF Report: Isolation Review

Dan Reilly is a down on his luck farmer in rural Ireland. At least the second generation to work this land he inherited his once proud farm from his father, but it has clearly fallen on hard times. Buildings are dilapidated, grounds cluttered with rusting scraps, and barns stand empty because he simply does not have enough cattle to fill them. With the bank knocking at the door and the bills piling up he has agreed to have his cattle used for genetic research in a series of breeding experiments. The scientists tell him all is proceeding according to plan but something seems wrong … the vet is bitten by the fetus during an exam and the calving is unusually difficult, the hardest Reilly has ever experienced …

O’Brien has rural roots himself and they shine through in the remarkable degree of authenticity on the farm. Reilly’s desperate straits are established immediately as is the cold tone of desperation slowly taking over his life. The early scenes of farm life – the vet arm deep up a cow’s vagina, a calving so difficult that the calf is pulled from its mother’s womb using a hand winch – are shocking and utterly alien to anyone rooted in city life and when O’Brien introduces the genetics theme and things start going badly he approaches it with a serious, matter of fact tone that makes it very easy to buy into what is not such a far fetched scenario. The director even claims that the film’s monster was created by simply merging two actual, well documented cattle mutations.

Well shot and acted, the film is anchored by a generally strong cast. John Lynch is stellar in the lead role, perfectly capturing the quiet desperation of a man on the edge of utter financial ruin, about to lose the land that has passed through generations of his family. The relationship between farmer and vet is subtly layered with hints of a more intimate background and the ‘traveller’ couple encamped just outside the farm property are similarly strong. There is a weak link in the cast, however, that coming in the form of the scientist responsible for the experiments, who too quickly and easily slips into demented mad scientist mode.

The film slips some in the third act, making some logical and character leaps that don’t ring quite true, and many will likely be disappointed by the relative lack of creature shots and gore. O’Brien builds his tension by focusing on his characters rather than on his monster so anyone looking for a high octane splatter fest will be left wanting. An intriguing premise for the most part well executed and acted, Isolation doesn’t crack the top ranks of genre greats but it certainly is a worthwhile effort that deserves marks for bringing something entirely new and unique to the table. Who knew animal husbandry could be so ominous?