'Hoard' Reviews: "special, just as singular, and just as magical"

         On September 6, 2024, Sunrise Films releases 'Hoard', which has received predominantly positive reviews from critics, currently holding at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "Seven-year-old Maria and her mother live in their own loving world built on sorting through bins and collecting shiny rubbish. One night, their world falls apart, and we join Maria a decade later, living with her foster mother." The ensemble cast includes Joseph Quinn, Samantha Spiro, Hayley Squires, Cathy Tyson, Lily-Beau Leach, and Saura Lightfoot-Leon. But what did the critics say?

        Alexandra Heller-Nicholas of AWFJ.org says, "Luna Carmoon is such a unique, strong filmmaker and Hoard feels like it is just a small peek into the kinds of stories she is capable of sharing with us – all, no doubt, just as special, just as singular, and just as magical." Adding, "Hoard is certainly a masterfully directed and intimate coming of age story, but it is also so much more. The film’s opening in particular stands as a veritable masterclass in world building the likes of which I have not seen in years; it is compassionate, immersive, and – yes – so very very magical. As the child of a working-class hoarder myself, as the kids say with Hoard I felt so very, very seen: to have this kind of experience granted the kind of wonder and magic that I too remember feels so incredibly rare and incredibly precious, and a whole universe apart from the typical kind of tut-tutting poverty porn that characters like this are far too often governed by."

Photo by Mark Wieder on Unsplash

        Andrew Murray of The Upcoming notes, "Whether it’s the cathartic screams of Maria and her mother while playing together, the feverish cinematic language that transforms some moments into bizarre dreamlike sequences or the absurd metaphors used to express Maria’s burgeoning womanhood, there’s an irresistible giddy energy running throughout Carmoon’s movie that gives it the feel of a surrealist comedy. However, some of these quirkier moments are exaggerated to the point of garish excess, especially a scene reminiscent of The Tin Drum that revolves around spitting on sherbet. The director doesn’t hold back in her approach to the subject matter as she confronts viewers with an array of weird and disturbing imagery. As unhinged as events become, it’s this feature’s heartfelt depictions of loss and grief that ground the unbridled insanity. Making everything all the better is Leon’s stellar performance and a striking visual presentation, which sprinkles in an element of the fantastical to this profoundly human story."

     Kat Hughes of THN praises the film, stating, "Hoard is a film that feels deeply personal throughout, to the point where it almost feels wrong to be watching. This level of connection between viewer and material usually takes filmmakers years to achieve, and yet Carmoon has managed it with her debut." Continuing, "Accompanying Maria on her spiritual quest is binman Michael, played by Stranger Things’ sensation, Joseph Quinn. Since his appearance as Eddie on the hit Netflix show, Quinn has amassed a dedicated and near-rabid fanbase. His devout followers will no doubt form a big chunk of Hoard’s viewing public, but expectations of a similarly likeable character will go unfulfilled. That is not to say that Michael is a ‘bad’ character, he is just one that is more layered than Eddie. Michael himself is in a state of transition, and as he and Maria meet, both engage their self-destruction buttons. All Hell then begins to unfold. The chemistry between Quinn and Lightfoot-Leon is combustible; watching Michael and Maria succumb to their questionable desires is nothing short of compelling."

       Jack Martin of Film Feeder writes, "Hoard is a bold and provocative debut for filmmaker Luna Carmoon, who almost indulgently flaunts a style that leans into its unique flavour of anarchic absurdism, but often at the risk of alienating an audience with weaker stomachs."