Olivia Colman Shines in Ambitious but Uneven Fantasy ‘Wicker’ at Sundance 2026

The Guardian’s review of ‘Wicker’ — premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival — examines the film’s inventive but uneven execution. Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, the movie tells the offbeat story of a lonely fisherwoman, played by Olivia Colman, who commissions a local craftsman, portrayed by Peter Dinklage, to make her a husband entirely out of wicker. Alexander Skarsgård embodies the titular wicker man, while Elizabeth Debicki leads the town’s women as an envious and scandalized social figure. The film blends dark fantasy, feminist allegory, and bawdy humor, exploring gender roles, societal judgment, and the longing for companionship in a patriarchal society. Despite a fascinating premise and striking production design that merges folkloric and contemporary elements, the review finds the tone inconsistent and the emotional core underdeveloped. Though Colman commits herself fully to the eccentric role, the script provides limited depth to explore her character’s psychological journey or the nature of her bond with her handmade partner. The review praises Colman’s nuanced performance and the film’s ambition but concludes that ‘Wicker’ lacks emotional fire and cohesion, resulting in a visually appealing yet hollow fable that doesn’t live up to its inventive concept.