As the title implies, the action in British horror hotshot Ben Wheatley's fourth feature takes place in a grassy patch of England circa 1648. It is a time of civil war and widespread religious superstition, and so the central troop of soldiers traversing the countryside is doubly imperilled – they're at the mercy of military campaigns and sinister magicianship. The plot is sparse but the sense of dread is thick. By turns surreal and hilarious, A Field in England is also genuinely gorgeous: Mr. Wheatley abandons the rough edges of his past work for a gleaming, grey-scale presentation that suggests an ancient woodcut brought to life by some crazed warlock's sinister incantation.
At VIFF: Sept. 28, 11:30 p.m., Rio; Sept. 29, 4:20 p.m., International Village
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