A black screen.

Suddenly, in the distance, there is a glimmer of light.

Slowly, it draws nearer and nearer to the viewer, keeping him or her in a trance throughout. What is it? What are we viewing? These questions will undoubtedly circle in the viewer's mind as the light draws nearer and near. Suddenly, it reveals itself to be a car. And then moments later there are groups of people fading in and out of the dark. Where are we? What is going on?

This is how Alice Rohrwacher's "The Wonders" opens and for its duration these very questions about direction and identity will continue to evolve through the actions of its main characters and overall narrative structure.

The film is set in the Etruscan region of Italy and follows a honey making family. Gelsomina (Maria Alexandra Lungu) is the oldest of four daughters and is thus the heir apparent to take over her father Wolfgang's business. One day, as the four daughters and their father spend some time by the shore, they come across a video production starring Milly Catena (Monica Bellucci).

Milly appears before Gelsomina dressed in Felliniesque garb and looks to be out of a dream. For Gelsomina, she is in fact the realization of otherworldliness as Milly exists in the world that the teenager has never known (and seems to have no hopes of knowing). The show presents the peasant families with an opportunity to participate in a contest to showoff their traditional activities in the region. The winner is given a tremendous amount. However, Wolfgang, ever hesitant of the outside world, continually rejects Gelsomina's requests that they engage in the contest.

Layered in between this growing conflict between father and daughter is the arrival of Martin (Luis Huilca), an emotionally scarred boy who has a criminal history and has been brought in to be Wolfgang's helper. At first Martin becomes a source of apprehension for the family, particularly for Wolfgang's wife Angelica (the director's sister Alba Rohrwacher), but they he becomes a part of the family.

"The Wonders" (or "Le Meraviglie" in Italian) is an apt title for the film. The viewer rarely knows in what direction the film is heading, making every twist and turn all the more surprising. There is always an arresting sense of wonder, particularly during scenes in which Wolfgang and company are extracting honey from the bees. The viewer cannot help but wonder how they managed to actually film such a sequence with bees flying all over the place, and at the same time there is a tremendous dread that someone is going to get hurt.

Another such sequence that creates this sort of fascination is a recurring motif in which bees actually come out of Gelsomina's mouth. There is a tremendous sense of whimsy that comes with these moments, and they sum up to the increasing fantastical element that starts to dominate Gelsomina's mind.

The show comes off as a bit heavy-handed in how it portrays the mainstream media's ignorance of those marginalized from it. And for some viewers, it might come off as too much of a farce. But it certainly adds to this fantasy motif and becomes its own criticism on the unrealistic expectations of reality television and its lack of true understand of how the real world actually works. The climax on the set of the show, in which Wolfgang is essentially exploited, only highlights just how pathetic reality TV is in dealing with true human emotions and understanding.

The final segments of the film could potentially steer some viewers away as it breaks the seeming barrier between fantasy and reality. Some might be completely turned off by the overall lack of cohesion in the film. And yet, those who take it on its own terms will find tremendous layers of meaning throughout its meandering form.

The performances are all breathtaking, especially Lungu in the lead role. Early on, she comes off as a bossy and rather unlikeable in the manner that she treats her younger sisters. But her seemingly cold exterior gives way to a more vulnerable interior, and in a breathtaking climax with her father, her meek calls out to him express a childlike quality that makes her endearing.

Sam Louwyck plays Wolfgang like a man with a massive chip on his shoulder. He is somewhat playful with the girls, but always has a ferocity ready to explode at any moment. Bellucci comes off as rather cool and collected but also enjoys one strong moment with Gelsomina near the end of the film.

All in all, "The "Wonders" offers potent performances and the imagery that is absolutely arresting. This is a film that will keep audiences enraptured if they take it on its own terms.

FOR MORE MOVIE AND ENTERTAINMENT NEWS, CLICK ON THIS LINK TO VISIT LATIN POST.COM'S ENTERTAINMENT PAGE

Want to Hear More from David? Like David Salazar's Page on Facebook