Peacock (Pou) is the feature-length debut of co-writer/director Jaco Minnaar and the first screenplay by David Cornwell. The South African set gothic horror film stars Tarryn Wyngaard as Anna, a young woman who grew up under the oppressive nature of The Foundation. As she grows and matures, Anna begins to have feelings and desires that are antithetical to the puritanical institution. As punishment for her sins, Anna is sent to care for the elderly founder of The Foundation, Sarel (Johan Botha).
Unsurprisingly, Anna and Sarel butt heads often. When she tells him she doesn’t want a husband, he erupts. As the days pass, Sarel slips into violent hallucinations brought on by the internal demons he’s fighting. But those demons seem to have a life of their own and threaten Anna as well. Can Anna survive her hellish new job and finally become the person she’s meant to be?
Peacock is a slow burn, but in the best sense of the phrase. It’s a quiet character study of different generations that cannot see eye to eye. The cinematography by Jonathan Kovel masterfully maintains the eerie and oppressive atmosphere. Bruce McLaren-Lyall’s editing exactingly slices each scene at the right moment. There’s not a wasted second, and any fat that did exist has been excised.
“…those demons seem to have a life of their own and threaten Anna…”
The story is also quite fascinating. Anna is a strong character whose misdeeds seem insignificant compared to her current situation. Sarel’s compelling in an icky sort of way. The story he tells involving the titular peacock (well, what the title means, at least) is fascinating. Yes, some cliches and tropes are used, but they are well-placed and earned.
But the biggest strength of Peacock is its acting. Wyngaard excels as the out of her depth lead character. Her reactions to the frightful scenarios she encounters are authentic. Botha is easy to disperse, and yet he exudes a certain charm. That is the key to Sarel’s success as a man losing his grip on reality.
Peacock is absorbing and horrific in equal measure. Minnaar generates genuine frights with a searing plot and fantastic cinematography. Wyngaard excels as Anna, navigating every turn with grace. Botha brings a lot of gravitas and intensity to his part. These two play off each other wonderfully, adding to their exceptionally written parts.
For screening information about Peacock, visit the Indie Pix Films website.
"…generates genuine frights with a searing plot..."
