In the American wild, horses run free–but the freedom that they currently experience is being threatened. A group travels the country in Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, trying to understand the danger that these majestic creatures face, and the reasons behind that danger. What they find will shock them.
I don’t want to downplay the things that are taking place in Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, but the reality is that Writer-Director Ashley Avis and her team are making this issue seem like one of the biggest in the country. The tone that is set in the opening seconds of the film, and transcends the film in its entirety, is off putting. The documentary becomes far too dramatic in the early going, and Avis never relents, never takes a step back–she actually manages to make the film more dramatic as it progresses.
I understand that the purpose of this film is to ensure that viewers understand the severity of the things going on in regard to wild horses in this country, but my focus was pulled throughout the course of Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West, as Avis herself became very frustrating. I understand that she’s frustrated, I understand that she wants to make a change, but she seemed to find fault every step of the way, becoming incredibly vocal and argumentative as a result. Her tone of voice and the way she made comments to the others on screen was incredibly frustrating, and this stole my attention away and forced me to focus on something other than the primary purpose of the film.
In addition to all of this, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West is simply too long. I don’t need to see the same thing for an hour and forty minutes, and yet, that’s what I got. In addition to this, we see the same exact scene twice. Why? For drama? Just to make a point? Regardless of the purpose behind this decision, it simply doesn’t work. Again, Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West is already too long, so having the same scene in the film more than once effectively serves no purpose, making the film longer and more frustrating.
I believe that the thing that will appeal to viewers is ultimately the beauty of the wild horses. I’m weird, and I’ve never been able to understand how or why people find horses attractive. With that being said, even this aspect of the film didn’t appeal to me. Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West isn’t made for people like me, and there were instances throughout which I became frustrated and bored. I think there’s a group out there that will find this film entertaining, but I’m not part of that group.
Written & Directed by Ashley Avis.
⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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