'40 Acres' Review: Danielle Deadwyler Leads a Gripping, Apocalyptic Thriller

40 Acres

Directed by: R.T. Thorne

Written by: R.T. Thorne, Glenn Taylor

Starring: Danielle Deadwyler, Kareem O’Connor, Michael Greyeyes, Micania Diaz-Rojas

Release Date: July 2, 2025

Rating: ★★★★☆

A Chilling Vision of the Near Future

40 Acres is a tense, gripping post-apocalyptic thriller, anchored by a powerhouse performance from Danielle Deadwyler. Set in a world not long into a growing apocalypse, it feels terrifyingly relevant—like a glimpse into a future that may be closer than we’d like to imagine.

A family, having built a life for themselves on a rural farm, is forced to defend their home and the land they’ve cultivated from unknown interlopers. What begins as a territorial standoff quickly turns into a life-or-death battle that tests the strength of their bonds—and their will to survive.

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A War Veteran Turned Protector

Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) is a survivor of the Second Civil War, having fought for the North. After returning to her family farm in rural Canada, she faces fresh horror: her family is murdered, and only her five-year-old son, Emanuel “Manny” Freeman (Kareem O’Connor), survives. That was over a decade ago.

Now, Hailey has built a new family and turned them into a well-trained unit of survivors. Alongside her husband Galen (Michael Greyeyes), his daughter Raine (Leenah Robinson), their daughters Danis and Cookie (Jaeda LeBlanc and Haile Amare), and the nearly grown-up Manny, they are a formidable force. In one early sequence, the group ambushes a band of dangerous strangers with cold precision—a chilling preview of the world they live in.

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A Teenage Heart in a Ruthless World

Despite their hardened exterior, this family is held together by something deeper—especially the bond between Hailey and Manny. But Manny is at a crossroads. A teenager with no peers, no school, and no semblance of a normal life, he longs for connection. Kareem O'Connor brings a lovely sensitivity to Manny, his performance is complex and layered in a way that demonstrates a talent beyond his years.

His world is rocked when he spots a young woman swimming near what he thought was a private watering hole. When she later comes to the farm asking for help, Manny is pulled toward her. But director R.T. Thorne isn’t crafting a Twilight-style apocalypse romance. He plays with tone and trust—using music, cinematography, and editing to keep us uncertain of her motives. Is she truly in danger, or something far more dangerous?

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Breakout Performances and Tight Direction

Kareem O’Connor gives a breakout performance as Manny, balancing his soldierly training with the wide-eyed vulnerability of youth. His chemistry with Danielle Deadwyler forms the emotional spine of the film, especially in quieter moments that reveal just how fragile their world—and their trust—has become.

Deadwyler, as always, is a commanding presence, and her performance here deserves more attention than it’s likely to get. That’s one of the tragedies of 40 Acres: it may never reach a wide theatrical release. It’s the kind of smart, suspenseful genre film that should be seen on the big screen.

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Final Verdict

40 Acres is a sharply crafted, emotionally grounded thriller that deserves to find an audience. Director R.T. Thorne (whose work I wasn’t familiar with before this) shows tremendous control and vision, building a world that feels lived-in and unnervingly possible. It’s an edge-of-your-seat experience that lingers after the credits roll—and it marks Thorne as a filmmaker to watch.

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Star Rating: ★★★★☆

A must-see for fans of tense, character-driven thrillers and dystopian dramas.

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