Danielle Deadwyler has unofficially launched her own niche genre: survival thrillers set on farmland. In “40 Acres”, she trades in the emotional haunting of “The Woman in the Yard” for something far more brutal — cannibalistic bandits and a relentless fight to protect her family. And somehow, it still feels grounded.
Directed by first-time feature filmmaker RT Thorne, “40 Acres” is a post-apocalyptic story where food is scarce, animals are nearly extinct, and farms have become the last real currency. When the film opens, Deadwyler’s character Hailey Freeman and her family are already hardened survivors, and when a dozen trespassers come looking for meat, they’re picked off with military precision. It’s not a question of if Hailey and her crew will survive — it’s how long they can keep surviving.
The family includes Manny (Kataem O’Connor), the eldest child on the brink of adulthood, who’s stuck between obedience and rebellion. Alongside him are three sisters, a stoic stepfather played by the excellent Michael Greyeyes, and a tight schedule of farming, firearms training, and dinner table discussions. Deadwyler’s Hailey is intense and deeply suspicious — and for good reason. Manny, looking for connection, secretly rescues an injured girl named Danis (Jaeda LaBlanc), setting off a series of escalating tensions inside and outside the farm’s fences.
Thorne elevates the story, which often finds itself within familiar genre tropes, with style and rhythm. The opening sequence is a masterclass in world-building, and cinematographer Jeremy Benning captures it all with striking visual clarity. The camera glides through the Freeman homestead, revealing beauty and danger in every corner. A standout third-act sequence where Greyeyes’ Galen eliminates invaders in a pitch-black room, each gunshot briefly illuminating like flash bulbs, got a hearty cheer from the audience I saw it with. It’s pure cinema.
But “40 Acres” isn’t without flaws. The film is divided into “chapters” named after characters, but the structure doesn’t go far enough to justify its inclusion. We never really dive into those characters’ internal perspectives, and it becomes a missed opportunity that keeps the film emotionally at arm’s length. There’s so much potential for deeper conflict, especially between Hailey and Manny, as their backstory is revealed later in the film, that’s left mostly on the surface.
Still, the performances go a long way. O’Connor shows real promise, Greyeyes steals scenes with quiet confidence, and Deadwyler once again proves she’s one of the most compelling actors working today. Her eyes do so much work and practically leap off the screen. In one memorable moment, a joke at the dinner table turns into a scathing monologue about gratitude, sacrifice, and survival — and Thorne knows better than to cut away from Deadwyler.
“40 Acres” may not reinvent the genre, but it’s a gripping, beautifully made film that signals a strong new voice in RT Thorne. It’s a film about survival, yes — but also about what we’re willing to become when survival is the only thing left.
Watch my full review on The Wandering Screen YouTube channel for more.
Letter Grade: B