Review: ‘40 Acres’ values post-apocalyptic family time

Nothing brings people together — or turns them against each other — like a disaster. For every person willing to lend a hand, there’s another waiting to take something from it. It’s where the concept of enough is debated and sharing becomes a topic of controversy. Depending on the scarcity of resources, the thought of killing someone for something you want or need becomes less of an impossibility and more of an inevitability. These are the expected rules of engagement following an apocalyptic event. In 40 Acres, viable farmland is nearly extinct and one family has no intention of relinquishing their claim.

Hailey (Danielle Deadwyler), Galen (Michael Greyeyes) and their four children live on the isolated Freeman farm surrounded by an electric fence and surveillance equipment. From the youngest to the oldest, they are prepared to defend their land from anyone who arrives uninvited — which is everyone. Hailey is understandably distrustful of outsiders, but the teenagers are reaching an age where they want to meet people outside of their blood relatives. Only their timing couldn’t be worse as nearby farms are reporting murdered families and they need to be on high alert. When it appears their neighbours may be the latest victims, both sides are in for a fight for which neither is prepared.

Hailey’s military background means her family is better trained than any other to defend themselves and the homestead — a fact established in the film’s opening as they demonstrate skills with firearms, blades and hand-to-hand combat. It’s impressive and essential to their survival. But they’re also kids, so no matter how well-trained, some are at an age of rebellion while others have short attention spans — but Hailey doesn’t tolerate any lapse in following orders. It’s obvious early-on that she’s the disciplinarian and Galen is the more fun parent, though he supports Hailey’s teachings and methods. They are the yin and yang of parenting, and it works.

Notably, this is the story of a blended family, uniting a Black woman and Indigenous man who’s taught the family his language and traditions so they will live on through their children. Circumstances has led to the family being very tightknit, instinctively looking out for each other — qualities the cast seem to exude naturally as the each deliver outstanding, authentic performances.

Writer-director R.T. Thorne’s debut feature tackles a variety of subjects, but the Freemans are the heart of the story, whether they’re tending the land or fighting off marauders. Their ability to cooperate when performing any task without the typical squabbling is actually mind-boggling, yet fitting of the narrative that is far from conventional. It’s not often one can call a post-apocalyptic movie featuring an organized militia of brutal killers heartwarming, but that’s where this film starts and ends.

Director: R.T. Thorne
Starring: Danielle Deadwyler, Kataem O’Connor and Michael Greyeyes