It is hard to pin Nix down in terms of exact time and place, but it bears similarity to Tolkien’s shire and early industrial Europe, with the occasional anachronistic reference thrown in to amuse pop culture audiences. At least it did, before the monster struck, literally carving out large swaths of the hamlet. While most of the survivors flee willy-nilly, Willy heads into the forest, seeking the heart of the matter. Along the way, he encounters a cowardly forest ranger and many strange creatures, including the Langemanne, whom the ranger misidentified as the monster of Nix. They are actually guardians of a sort with an important role to play in the fable. They are still plenty of suspects though, including Virgil, a giant swallow who is certainly creepy, even if he is not the monster in question.
As Willy pursues his destiny, Nix veers into metaphysical territory, involving the very nature of stories. Given Rosto’s darkly ominous imagery and cerebral twists on fairy tale conventions, the film might not be suitable for younger viewers. Frankly, it is more like children’s film for adults. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a lot of youngsters getting fired-up for the vocal talents of Terry Gilliam (as the ranger), Tom Waits (as Virgil), and the cult band, The Residents (serving as an eerie chorus).
