Joshua Erkman (director)
(studio)
18 (certificate)
100 (length)
24 November 2025 (released)
21 November 2025
A Desert pitches itself in the twilight world of Lynch’s California with overtones of mysterious dangerous/strangers/drifters road movies such The Hitcher and Kalifornia.
Photographer Alex (Kai Lennox) is on a mission to get back to the roots of his profession by taking a road trip to the barren yet stunning desert landscapes of California. To get really get away he’s dispensed with GPS and mobiles, keeping in touch with his wife Sam (Sarah Lind) by payphone.
His journey takes him through spectacular scenery to decrepit, abandoned buildings that he photographs, hoping to sell them. A journey of this kind requires a stop at a grubby motel and here Alex meets brother and sister drifters Renny and Susie Q (Zachary Ray Sherman and Ashley Smith respectively) with whom he gets overly acquainted.
To avoid spoilers I’ll leap forward to where Sam has contacted PI Harold (David Yow) suspecting that Alex has gone missing. Taking the job, Harold gathers enough information to track Alex’s movements. Needless to say Harold too has his weaknesses as described by a police officer when Sam eventually gets them involved.
Directed by Joshua Erkman, co-written with Bossi Baker, A Desert is a noirish thriller that overlaps into outright horror both psychological and physical. The beautiful daytime photography draws on the strangeness of the American desert plains, then contrasted with the nighttime sleaze of the motel. It helps build a sense of unease for the duration of the film punctuated by some shocking moments.
It’s not difficult to spot the villains, though that may not prepare the viewer for their horrific actions and cruelty. Their use and manipulation of Alex and Harold is simplified by these men’s character flaws, leaving others to pick up the pieces.
Saying that these characters are fairly stock for this type of film. That however doesn’t diminish any of the performances which are uniformly very good.
It is highly stylised throughout and in particular towards the end, though it’s never overly intrusive and certainly doesn’t diminish the film overall.
A Desert will be on UK and Irish digital platforms from 24 November 2025.
