The film revolves around a land surveyor on a mission to measure an ancient forest of a developer. It seems that this man is soon losing his cause in a supernatural environment that has its own tracks along the way.
Through disorienting pull focuses & the hallucinatory play of light & shadow on tree trunks, Lorcan conjures the suggestion of a pagan presence in this eerily numinous maze of branches, & lets the viewer, along with Eric, become lost in the woods.
If the narrative ultimately seems thin, not to mention somewhat familiar and formulaic, the quiet menace of an ancient natural world under threat is nicely modulated.
Fans of Altered States, The Wicker Man and The Witch will enjoy Finnegan's psychedelic montages, Eric's descent into madness, and the forest's meditative unease.
Without Name is less a story and more an experience, and while its unfocused style of reality warping may make a little difficult to focus on, it also allows you to just sit back and experience the ride.
Finnegan is clearly a filmmaker of tremendous capacity and vision, and even when [Without Name] doesn't entirely work, he doesn't fail in teasing the promise of his visionary talent.
Without Name is almost without character as well, but Lorcan Finnegan wrangles enough creepy woodland shots to keep this softer genre flick drenched in intrigue.
There is no blood and guts here, but in terms of doom you can fill your boots. The casting is excellent; it's beautifully shot by Piers McGrail and the sound team should also sleep the sleep of the gifted.
