Title: In The Land Of Lost Angels
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Director: Bishrel Mashbat
Starring: Erdenemunkh Tumursukh, Iveel Mashbat, Mike Cali
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins

What It Is: With no options left, two Mongolian immigrants kidnap the son of a wealthy man. As they anxiously wait for their payment, the situation becomes tenser.

What We Think: In The Land Of Lost Angels is a very enjoyable flick. It shows how budget really doesn’t matter when it comes to making films. It’s quite obvious that the filmmakers were working with very little, yet they managed to create some very intense and thrilling moments! First off I have to say that I love black and white cinematography and I love it, even more, when it’s used in a thriller, so this film pleased me with its presence. The natural lighting and minimal artificial lighting (lamps, car lights, and flashlights) give the picture a great look and it’s a welcome aesthetic! Plus, the camerawork is very smooth and stable and stays put when it needs to. No shaky handheld fight scenes here.

What I love most about this film is how it makes me feel like it could’ve been a film I could’ve made with a couple of friends over the weekend. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and yes, there are some cheesy moments, but they can easily be overlooked for the sake of just having a good viewing experience. The writing isn’t the strongest aspect of the film, but it isn’t unbearable. The performances by the two leads are really good and they help bring the script to life. I felt their intensity and definitely had a connection with their desperation/aggressiveness.

In terms of the film’s pacing, it doesn’t slow down at all for the first hour. Near the end, the story goes in a more somber direction and I liked that subversion. It definitely made the outcome of the character’s actions more realistic. For some it might be an unwelcome change to the typical third act of a thriller, but if you take into consideration the film’s low budget, would you really prefer a high-speed police chase over something much more grounded, like the main characters having to look over their shoulder while also suffering anxiously in silence? I’d like to think of that as a positive aspect rather than a negative one.

Our Grade: B+, An entertaining, gorilla-style thriller, In The Land Of Lost Angels is a great time! I definitely have my eye on Bishrel Mashbat and I’d love to see what he does next.