Guest Blog: A Review of Bulk and Director Ben Wheatley’s Q&A

Ben Wheatley was at Studio 74 at the Exeter Phoenix as part of a tour for his newest film Bulk. The film tour has proved a resounding success, selling out in multiple cinemas around the UK and Ireland. The same was true for its Exeter screening, as Studio 74 hosted a packed house for Ben’s visit to Devon.

Literally, not straightforward

Before presenting his film to the Exeter audience, Ben kindly gave an interview from the road with D&CFilm. While hearing Ben speak about his filmmaking process is interesting and valuable in its own right, it has also provided some beneficial insight into the intentions and goals Ben had when making Bulk – a film which is, literally, not straightforward.

Interdimensional adventure

Bulk is a multiversal low-fi sci-fi, travelling to numerous beguiling landscapes and locations that don’t try to hide their independent edge. The audience’s main conduit into the story is lead Sam Riley’s character Corey Harlan, who is given the task of figuring his way through this interdimensional adventure at the beginning of the film. Aiding in this journey is co-lead Alexandra Maria Lara’s Aclima Benton, who primarily serves as a guide through the kaleidoscopic reality-bending quest. The quest in question? Finding Mark Monero’s Aton Chambers, the billionaire who has made the journey possible. Noah Taylor also provides supporting fun to these escapades with multiple scene-stealing eccentricities in different forms.

Handwritten

Straight after the screening of Bulk, with the handmade experience fresh in the mind – thanks to the cast and crews’ names read to camera by Maria Lara, alongside further end credits depicting Wheatley’s handwritten filmmaking notes – the spectacle was rounded off with a lively Q&A.

Invigorated

Starting off with a conversation hosted by Aidan Power, and followed by audience questions spurred on by the promise of gifts from the filmmaker, Ben provided valuable personal insight and depth in his responses. The topics discussed ranged from his inspiration behind making Bulk, his filmmaking process, and advice for young aspiring filmmakers. His impassioned answer to this latter topic was a particular highlight of the afternoon, culminating in a round of applause from the invigorated audience.

The multiversal journey

In the Q&A, Ben also mentioned how he wanted Bulk to help the audience along the multiversal journey at certain points. However, I would say that the audience was conclusively on board this journey from beginning to end, as the attendance and engagement for this screening and Q&A proved an evident win for all involved, from artist to arthouse to audience.