Genre(s) – Drama, Dark Comedy, Thriller, Horror
Director – Joel Potrykus
Writer – Joel Potrykus
Cast – Joel Potrykus, Joshua Burge, Bill Vincent, Solo Potrykus, Melissa Blanchard, Sherryl Despres, Scott Ayotte, Dennis Grantz
Runtime – 85 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆☆
Watching this film felt like I was locked in a tent with two sweaty philosophy majors losing their minds – painful, funny, and somehow, a little bit brilliant.
Have you ever watched a film and thought, “Wow, this guy really committed to the bit,” only to slowly realize the bit is actually a full-blown nervous breakdown wrapped in cryptic dialogue and sad boy energy? That’s pretty much what Vulcanizadora felt like
Plot Summary of Vulcanizadora (Spoiler-Free)
Vulcanizadora opens with two men trudging through a desolate forest somewhere in Michigan. That’s it. That’s your setting. No names, no exposition, no friendly narrator to catch you up. You’re just thrown into the middle of what looks like the worst weekend getaway since The Blair Witch Project, minus the witch and plus a whole lot of male sadness.
The first half of the film follows the pair as they argue, bicker, light fireworks, dig up random objects, and engage in bizarre childlike games. There’s no clear goal. No mission. They’re not lost in the traditional sense, just sort of… wandering, both physically and emotionally.
About halfway through, the film shifts. Something resembling a “twist” happens, though calling it a twist feels too flashy. It’s more like someone slowly turning up the volume on an awful realization. Suddenly, this isn’t just a movie about two guys being weird in the woods. It becomes a strange meditation on shame, failure, and emotional paralysis.
Just know that things get darker, much darker, and by the end, you’ll either be staring at the screen in silence or frantically Googling “What the hell did I just watch?” Maybe both.
Vulcanizadora Review: Is It Worth Watching?
Yes – but only if you’re into self-inflicted emotional punishment. I’m giving this 7.5/10, mostly because it made me feel things I didn’t know I could feel in a film where two guys do almost nothing for 90 minutes.
And there’s something kind of magical about watching a film that feels like it’s being made up as it goes, but still manages to land an emotional gut punch by the end. Vulcanizadora is slow. It’s awkward. It’s aggressively weird. But weird with a purpose. It’s like someone weaponized social discomfort and filmed it with a VHS camcorder in the woods.
Joel Potrykus, both the director and one of the stars, doesn’t give a damn about traditional storytelling. He’s not here to entertain you in a conventional way. He’s here to show you the slow, grinding mental breakdown of a man who talks way too much and listens way too little. And weirdly, that’s the charm.
Joshua Burge, on the other hand, barely says a word. But man, he says everything. His silence is its own form of communication, and the way he carries despair in his posture alone is genuinely impressive. He’s like the ghost of someone who died from boredom and resentment. If that sounds miserable, it is – but also compelling.
The real star here though is the film’s tone. This is a movie that feels sticky and claustrophobic, even though it’s set in the great outdoors. Every scene is like a therapy session gone off the rails, and by the time the deeper philosophical question drops, it hits like a cinderblock to the chest. It’s brutal. It’s beautiful. It’s also probably going to scare off 90% of the people who click play.
It’s also a film that’s hard to describe in terms of genre, because Vulcanizadora doesn’t bother with genre conventions, but throws in elements from a few different genres, and it will depend on the person watching what they take out of it.
This isn’t an easy watch though. It doesn’t move fast. It doesn’t spoon-feed you. But if you’re into films that sit with you, unsettle you, and occasionally make you laugh in spite of yourself, it’s 100% worth it.
What I Liked (And What I Didn’t Like)
Pros
Joshua Burge’s Quiet Despair
Burge doesn’t talk much, but his performance speaks volumes. Every twitch, every eye-roll, every sigh feels loaded. He doesn’t just act like he’s given up – he embodies emotional collapse. It’s fascinating to watch in the same way watching a car slowly roll off a cliff is fascinating.
The Hypnotic Monotony
Yes, it’s repetitive. Yes, not much “happens.” But that’s the point. The monotony creates a rhythm that pulls you in. It lulls you into a state where you start to feel the same emotional staleness as the characters. It’s a risky move, but here, it works.
That Line About Hell
“What if hell is just being nervous and sad forever?” I don’t know where Potrykus pulled that from, but it hit like a sucker punch. It’s bleak, but it’s also kind of perfect. It reframes the entire movie and makes you sit with your own anxieties for a while. Terrifying and brilliant.
Potrykus’ Commitment to Sad Weirdos
I respect any filmmaker who plants their flag on “sad, awkward, male failure” and just keeps doubling down. Potrykus doesn’t pivot. He doesn’t chase trends. He sticks to his oddball vision, and I genuinely admire that.
It Sticks With You
I will be thinking about this film for a while. Not just about what happened, but how it made me feel. That’s rare. And that’s something I’ll always count as a win.
Cons
Potrykus’ Character Is Exhausting
He’s meant to be annoying. But wow, is he annoying. There were multiple moments where I wanted Burge to just walk offscreen and leave him to monologue to a tree.
Could Use a Trim
As much as I appreciated the mood-building, some scenes linger too long. A tighter edit could’ve kept the tone intact while shaving off ten minutes of tree-staring.
Potentially Pretentious
Look, I like what it’s doing, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t veer into film school wankery at times. The line between “profound” and “trying too hard” is thin, and this movie definitely tiptoes on it.
Who Might Like Vulcanizadora
If you’re the kind of person who enjoys slow-burning, character-driven indie films where not much happens but everything happens, then Vulcanizadora might be your jam.
You’ll also dig this movie if you appreciate discomfort used as a storytelling tool. If you don’t mind watching people unravel in real time, and you like films that make you feel kind of awful – but in a reflective, almost therapeutic way – this one’s got your name on it.
Bonus points if you once majored in philosophy, have ever spiraled after hearing a Radiohead lyric, or have stared at a tree while questioning your life choices. This film speaks your language.
Who Might Dislike Vulcanizadora
On the flip side, if you’re someone who needs a strong plot or fast pace to stay engaged, you’re probably going to bounce off this one fast. It meanders. A lot. And it doesn’t care that it’s meandering. That’s kind of the point, but it won’t be everyone’s cup of existential horror tea.
Hate awkward silences? This film lives in them. Get annoyed when characters are emotionally constipated and barely functional? You might scream into a pillow watching these two mumble their way through the woods.
Lastly, if you don’t have a high tolerance for what some might call “pretentious indie art film vibes,” this movie is going to feel like one long, sad hike into your own boredom. And that’s valid. Not everyone wants to be emotionally bludgeoned for 90 minutes.
Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching Vulcanizadora?
I don’t know if “enjoy” is the right word. Watching Vulcanizadora felt like a slow-motion panic attack, but one I couldn’t look away from. It’s not fun. It’s not comforting. But it is meaningful, and it stands out just by having the guts to be genuinely weird and uncomfortable.
I wouldn’t recommend this to my parents, or really most of my friends. But for the brave, the patient, and the slightly masochistic, it’s a rare gem. It’s an experience. One I won’t soon forget.
Vulcanizadora Trailer
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