Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Tragic Jungle’ On Netflix, A Mesmerizing Mexican Allegory Where Revenge Takes Center Stage

Many a period drama have graced Netflix’s hallowed halls, taking us to castles and battlefields and suburban neighborhoods. Tragic Jungle, now streaming on the platform, immerses us in the dense jungle between Mexico and Belize (then British Honduras) in the 1920s, where nothing is quite as it seems. This mesmerizing drama took home awards at the Venice Film Festival last year and is now available to stream from the comfort of home. 

TRAGIC JUNGLE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Agnes (Indira Rubie Andrewin) is on the run. Accompanied by her older sister Florence (Shantai Obispo) and a man named Norm (Nedal McLaren), they have taken to the jungle along the Rio Hondo, a river separating Mexico and British Honduras (now Belize) so that Agnes may escape marrying an older, brutal British landowner Cacique (Dale Carley). He hunts them down, guns blazing, and kills all of them – or so it seems. Agnes miraculously turns up unscathed later, discovered by a group of chicleros who take her in.

While the leader of the group, Ausencio (Gilberto Barraza), initially seems intent on protecting her, he soon begins to see her through lustful eyes, just as the rest of the group does. Agnes leaves behind her virginal damsel role and becomes a stoic seductress, perhaps having morphed into Xtabay, a demon Mayan legend says lures men to their death if they venture into her forest. The group of chicleros, who brutally hack away at tall zapote trees with machetes and drain them of their sticky chicle to make chewing gum, soon pay the price for their crimes against nature and against Agnes.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Tragic Jungle offers a fascinating take on colonialism like the recent Zama, but with its atmospheric nature and its messaging on the exploitation of women and nature, I kept finding myself reminded of Darren Aronofsky’s mother! and even Robert Egger’s The Witch on occasion.

Performance Worth Watching: Despite having very little dialogue, Indira Rubie Andrewin makes quite the impression as Agnes. This role, one defined by the male perception of her – the virginal bride-to-be, or later, as the deadly, mythical seductress – is totally reliant on the strange power of Andrewin’s blank gaze. It may be a quiet performance, but it’s a large part of why Tragic Jungle works as well as it does. She’s an essential part of the lush, feverish atmosphere the film creates in a short amount of time.

Memorable Dialogue: “Don’t let her sweet nectar intoxicate you,” the opening narration of the film tells us. “The jungle gives you plenty, but also takes a lot away.” It’s a perfect summation of what’s to come, of the way woman and jungle combine forces to exact revenge on those who dare exploit them.

Sex and Skin: In Tragic Jungle, sex usually serves as a harbinger of death. Two people have sex while on the run and wind up shot, and each man who lies with Agnes – whether on the jungle floor in the sunshine or illuminated by the moonlight against a tree – sees similar fates at the hands of nature or the woman herself.

Our Take: “Unfortunate you if you cannot understand the mysteries of the jungle,” Tragic Jungle‘s narrator tells us as the film begins. It’s incredibly fitting, preparing us for the enigmatic road ahead. The film wastes no time in immersing us in its lush, dreamlike world, making you feel like you’re in the jungle for the sweaty journey. There are so many rich visuals, beginning with the wounded, bleeding trees, showing us an environment brutalized by men, brutalized in the same way the women in this story are. The haunting images of screaming howler monkeys, creeping ants, and wriggling insects all stuck with me long after the film’s conclusion. Agnes’s evolution into something of a vengeance demon delivering retribution on behalf of the jungle is a fascinating one, never quite allowing us to wrap our heads around whether she’s the hero or the villain of this story.

While all the story beats may not make up to something totally climactic, Tragic Jungle‘s beauty really lies in how it creates such a hypnotic sense of atmosphere, asking vague questions and delivering answers just as ambiguous. The film never fully goes in the direction of horror, but it organically integrates unsettling elements to create a true sense of dread from early on. Thanks to its entrancing, discordant score, breathtaking cinematography from Sofia Oggioni, and a uniquely immersive quality, the film is able to create something truly singular and special. You may be left wanting more information by the time the credits roll, but watching director Yulene Olaizola juggle themes of colonialism, environmentalism, and misogyny with such grace makes Tragic Jungle more than worth your while.

Our Call: STREAM IT. Tragic Jungle is a moody, atmospheric piece of drama, sucking in the viewer with its spellbinding slow burn and telling a story that remains eerily resonant despite its period setting.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines, hogging the mic at karaoke, and thirst-tweeting. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Tragic Jungle on Netflix