The Marsh King’s Daughter partially takes place in the marshlands of Northern Michigan. When they mentioned this, I frowned… I thought it was set in Louisiana or somewhere more typical of a swampy area in the US. I grew up in Southern Michigan and spent a few brutal Winters in upper Michigan but I guess I don’t know the region in the Summer months. Must be particularly brutal when the snows come.

And, yes, I had plenty of time to ponder these geographical thoughts while watching this rather slow film. It’s about a woman who grew up in those Michigan swamps, unaware that her father had kidnapped her and her mother. Now he’s escaped his prison transport and she’s sure he’s coming for a visit.

This film is largely a moody picture about an adult living with childhood trauma. It spends a long time letting us experience her distrust and paranoia. Far too long, in fact. To the point I started to wonder if the flick would just be about psychology not go the typical Hollywood thriller route.

It does eventually do exactly that, though not in the most flashy or fast-paced way. I was kind of disappointment since I thought the flick was doing something different. On the other hand, it becomes a little more interesting than long stretches of uncertainty and doubt.

Daisy Ridley and Ben Mendelsohn play the daughter and father… two Brits playing Michiganders. They did a fine job, though occasionally Ridley’s English accent would poke through. Not too distracting beyond wondering if they could have maybe found some Michigan actors to play the parts. Mitten represent!

The flick isn’t terrible but it struggled to keep my attention. A little too much time spent mulling over the past and worrying about the future. Some nice shooting locations in <checks google> Ontario, Canada? Close enough!

Score: 72