40 Acres
Directed by R.T. ThorneHailey Freeman and her family are the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in 1875 in rural Canada after the first Civil War. In a famine-decimated future they struggle to make their last stand against those intent on taking their home.
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40 Acres Ratings & Reviews
- Kevin WardJuly 1, 202540 Acres is a post-apocalyptic thriller set in a dystopian future where food scarcity and societal collapse force a blended Black-indigenous family of farmers to defend their land against cannibals. The film blends elements of action, family drama, and dystopian horror, exploring themes of xenophobia, generational trauma, and the fight to preserve legacy and culture in a hostile world. There’s plenty of references to cue you in on the cultural themes. The film directly references Octavia Butler‘s novel, Parable of the Sower, and the title 40 Acres connotes the broken promise of “40 acres and a mule.” But while the thematic richness runs deep, they never distract from the action or thrills that this film has in store. Led by Hailey and Galen Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler and Michael Greyeyes) the Freemans’ kick some serious ass when the marauders descend upon their farmland. Gruesome and gory action sequences and tense standoffs make this film pretty thrilling from start to finish. Did not know what to expect going into this, but I fell in love with it pretty quickly from the opening sequence. I also fell in love with the final song as well which I’ve had on repeat ever since. Highly recommend this excellent debut feature from R.T. Thorne.
- FigueiragamesJuly 26, 2025A great movie. Great action great history and acting.
- Michael BrownSeptember 14, 2025Wow! Danielle Deadwyler understood the assignment when she took on this role. She plays a strong, no-nonsense black woman who dishes out tough love to her children and goes thru hell and highwater to keep her family safe in a cruel and unforgiven world. This movie kept me on the edge of my seat and had me caring for the family and hoping that they would all come out of their ordeal unscathed. My hat goes off to Ms. Deadwyler, another brilliant performance!
- roberts6178August 17, 2025Walking Dead minus Zombies, with more brains and heart. Add this one to your Sleepers of 2025 list. Highly Recommend.
- jiyesh007August 13, 2025Good storyline and action
- Gen LockJuly 27, 2025This film had the potential to be a compelling story but ultimately fails due to its heavy-handed and problematic execution.
- jabadooAugust 9, 202540 Acres is a tense, razor-sharp thriller that blends social commentary with edge-of-your-seat suspense, keeping you hooked from the first scene to the last. The performances are electric, the pacing relentless, and the message lingers long after the credits roll. Only downside? A rushed final reveal that deserved more breathing room.
- jody.b5August 9, 2025It took me a while to get into this movie. It’s a slow burn at the beginning. But that was needed so that it didn’t come off as another post apocalyptic cheesy movie . You’ll be glad you stuck it out and watched it till the end.
- jackmeatAugust 4, 2025My quick rating - 6.4/10. In 40 Acres, Canadian writer-director R.T. Thorne makes a bold leap from TV to feature filmmaking, and the result is a genre-blending post-apocalyptic action drama that mostly hits its mark. Set in a famine-ravaged future where farmland is the world’s most precious commodity, the film follows Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) and her family—the last descendants of African American farmers who migrated to rural Canada after the Civil War—as they defend their inherited land from a ruthless militia and a world gone cannibalistic. The film opens with a static text scroll that dumps some necessary exposition about the global collapse and the high value of arable land. It gets the job done, but it’s a bit of a dry kickoff for a movie that later leans into some very vivid, visceral moments. A touch more world-building, something visual, atmospheric, or character-driven, would have helped immerse me in this future reality more organically. What follows, however, is a kinetic introduction to the stakes at play, with an early action sequence that sets the tone and wastes no time showing that this family is armed and deadly serious about protecting their land. The world beyond the farm is chaos, patrolled by savage human scavengers and, most notably, organized groups of cannibals, the primary antagonists here. No zombies or aliens needed; just humanity in its worst form. Danielle Deadwyler is committed and commanding as Hailey, a hard-edged matriarch whose militaristic leadership style doesn’t exactly invite warmth. She’s not meant to be likable, and that’s kind of the point. She’s all discipline, running her family like a battalion, because that’s what survival now demands. It’s a performance that won’t appeal to everyone, but Deadwyler makes it believable. Of the ensemble, Leenah Robinson as Raine, the sniper daughter, is my standout. Her quiet intensity and calculated precision give her some of the film’s best moments, and her character arc has more emotional complexity than most. The rest of the cast fills out a diverse and solid family unit, each member playing their role in the larger machine. Stylistically, Thorne juggles a surprising mix of tones—action, horror, dark humor, religious drama, even a touch of coming-of-age and kidnapping thriller—and somehow makes it work. There's one extended sequence shot largely in darkness that’s especially effective, using muzzle flashes, sound, and tension that really added a bit of flair to the standard shoot-out. It’s one of several moments where Thorne’s visual instincts really shine. If there’s a weakness, it’s in the pacing. Some scenes linger longer than necessary, and the film occasionally dips into melodrama without quite earning it. Still, the 113-minute runtime feels justified thanks to a final act that kicks into high gear and barely lets up. 40 Acres doesn’t reinvent the post-apocalyptic wheel, but it’s a strong, grounded entry in the genre that trades clichés for character. There’s no gloss here, just dirt, desperation, and a family clinging to the last thing that matters. Thorne’s debut is promising, and if this is what he delivers straight out of the gate, you can count me in on what is coming next.
- EJuly 29, 2025Good movie
- kreativejuicesJuly 28, 2025Fantastic!
- Kit LazerJuly 24, 2025This movie rips, the kinda flick that you catch late at a festival and love forever. The plot itself might be filled with things you’ve seen before but those contrivances are anchored to clever subversions and incredibly charismatic (mostly new) actors.
- Sam MJuly 23, 2025Not a lot of action like it seemed there was going to be from the trailer, ending could have been better
- eddie43351July 22, 2025Very good movie .
- rhyseenzJuly 22, 2025Slow, painful pace, storyline was not exciting , felt it could have been a short tv series instead
