Post-apocalyptic stories tend to serve as warnings that come in many forms; sometimes they are about how the apocalypse might unfold, or about the resources we will fight over, or the people who will be doing the fighting. Whether the future is filled with robots or devoid of resources, there’s always human drama and things to learn.
In The Well, Sarah (Shailyn Pierre-Dixon) and her parents, Paul and Elisha (Arnold Pinnock and Joanne Boland), live in one such future. The world is in environmental collapse, people are scarce and desperate, and the water supply is tainted. Deep in the woods, they’ve carved out a self-sustaining place to live, complete with everything one needs, including a well full of pristine, clear, and uninfected water. Everything is going well until two things happen: a young man named Jamie (Idressa Sanogo) shows up, who may or may not be Sarah’s long-lost cousin, and the wellhead is damaged, threatening the water supply.
There’s some back and forth about how to handle these situations and whether it’s safe to venture into the world, but ultimately, Sarah leaves the safety of the family home with Jamie in tow to go look for someone who can either repair or replace the part they need. This leads them the compound that Jamie had been staying at, filled with desperate people and led by a matriarch figure called Gabriel (Sheila McCarthy).
If the premise of The Well sounds familiar, it should. “Young person sneaks away to save the family, but ends up with more than they can handle” is a tried and true setup. There are a few predictable beats, but it’s the characters that need to keep you hooked
Link: https://thisisforreel.com/home/fantasia-2025-movie-review-the-well-walks-a-well-worn-path-through-an-intriguing-world
“The Well” Walks a Well Worn Path Through an Intriguing World | ForReel
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