Title – Wilding (2023)

Director – David Allen (feature debut)

Cast – Isabella Tree, Matthew Collyer, Charlie Burrell

Plot – A documentary that explores the rewilding project of the Knepp Wildland in West Sussex England, showcasing a whole new way to farm while allowing the natural environment a chance to create its own ecosystem.

“Were going to tear down the fences”

Review by Eddie on 13/08/2025

Based on the best selling book by Isabella Tree, who also acts as this features main talking head, British documentary Wilding is a mostly unremarkable exploration of a remarkable work of nature as director David Allen for his debut feature examines the rewilding project of the Knepp Wildland in West Sussex.

An estate that is owned by Tree and her partner, the Kneep Wildland project is an entirely fresh way of looking to farm and sustain land outside of the stereotypical fashion that modern science and agribusiness has set in place with an idea to instead let the natural environment and animal species create their own ecosystems from the ground up as man takes a massive backwards step from the whole scenario.

It’s a controversial approach and one that bought Tree and her team much vitriol and hatred early on in their journey but after decades of sustained practice and a commitment to the cause, the benefits of what their approach can gain is there for all too see, especially with Allen’s keen eye.

When we say that Wilding is unremarkable as a film it can’t be a statement that reads true when one talks about the visual elements of Allen’s film that are beautiful and unique in equal measure.

Whether its pigs exploring local watering holes for fresh food or deer roaming the estate, Wilding has numerous moments of breath-taking beauty and while the films flashbacks and more staged elements don’t real as natural as the modern day segments, even they have their moments, a scene involving 1000’s of butterflies descending on the property is gorgeously staged.

For anyone seeking out a documentary that connects the viewer directly too nature the way in which is intended to be found Wilding will be a major winner and while it may struggle to find a broad and wide-ranging audience, this is a well-intentioned visual exploration of a true life underdog story.

Final Say –

A visually outstanding British documentary that never soars to great heights otherwise, Wilding is a workmanlike feature that never outstays its welcome but never becomes a must-see at the same time.

3 busy beavers out of 5