DISCLAIMER: There are minor spoilers for Hulu’s mystery-thriller The Clearing. Proceed with caution.
Cults, especially those involving children, are as terrifying as they are pervasive. One such cult known as “The Family” operated for years undetected, inflicting damage on the kids they stole from their parents. This particular group serves as the inspiration for author J.P Pomare’s 2019 book, In the Clearing. The Clearing, an eight-episode Hulu miniseries, adapts Pomare’s work in a chilling showcase of what lies in the underbelly of one Australian town.
About The Clearing
Here’s a synopsis for The Clearing per Hulu:
“When a local girl goes missing, it triggers a woman’s memories from her childhood as a member of The Kindred — one of the few female-led cults in history. Based on the crime thriller by J.P. Pomare, this exclusive original series follows the nightmares of a cult survivor who’s forced to face the demons from her past in order to stop the kidnapping and coercion of innocent children in the future. The Clearing is an emotional and psychological thriller that burrows under the skin and inside the mind, blurring the lines between past and present, reality and nightmare.”
The Clearing stars Teresa Palmer, Miranda Otto, Guy Pearce, Hazem Shammas, Julia Savage and Kate Mulvany.
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An In-Depth Dive Into Trauma
I had access to the first four episodes of the series for review. The Clearing plays with different imagery to convey its narrative and thematic exploration. “What lies beneath the surface” is present throughout as a motif. It’s even shown in the gorgeously-framed opening scene as we see tree limbs jutting above the water. The credits sequence dives below that surface to examine what’s unseen. It indicates The Kindred hiding in plain sight as they conducted their kidnappings.
The Clearing — Amy (Julia Savage), shown. (Photo by: Narelle Portanier/Hulu)
Palmer’s character, Freya, has a penchant for spending time underwater, often testing herself to see how long she can hold her breath. There’s a level of safety for her underneath the surface, which the series revisits frequently as we get to know her.
When a local girl disappears, the series wastes no time throwing Freya headfirst into a mystery, connecting her to her past. The Clearing thoughtfully examines the nature of trauma through Freya’s responses as she relives that past.
Showing, Not Telling
The show expertly blends the past and present to a point where you’re unsure which is which. That’s where it leans heavily into its psychological thriller elements as it doles out fragments of the plot at a time — just enough to keep viewers sated. There are a handful of genuine narrative twists. The Clearing does not rely on exposition dumps or talk down to the audience. So much of this series is visual as it is visceral and mental. While there’s no gore or a ton of physical violence, the trauma embedded in the cult itself is enough to make one squirm.
Cinematography-wise, the series is beautifully shot, incorporating the aforementioned “beneath the surface” imagery. Even with stunning Australian landscapes, the muted color palette provides that gritty, dark feel that helps immerse us in this story.
Performances
The Clearing deftly explores Freya’s trauma as a cult survivor, with Teresa Palmer delivering a nuanced, understated performance. Like the story, much of what Palmer communicates as Freya is more than surface-deep. We can see how much she endured as part of The Kindred, even if we don’t know all the details. Miranda Otto presents a terrifying portrayal of an imposing cult leader (Adrienne Beaufort) wrapped in as much mystery as The Kindred. She steals every scene she’s in.
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Julia Savage, who plays Amy, is a series standout. The young actress delivers mature, layered work as a current victim of The Kindred. We see much of the cult goings-on through her eyes. All of the kids are consummate performers. Hazem Shammas gives us a poignantly subtle performance as Yusuf, who’s enmeshed between the past and present in this split narrative.
The Clearing — Adrienne (Miranda Otto), shown. (Photo by: Ben King/Hulu)
Is It Worth a Watch?
Absolutely. The Clearing tells a thoroughly enthralling tale that moves briskly, planting narrative clues here and there without revealing its whole hand. It’s very much a “show, don’t tell” kind of series. The performances are captivating, as is the series’ use of blending different timelines for a mind-bending experience. It’s a bone-chilling, thrilling mystery that digs deep while exploring the effects of decades-held trauma. If you’re intrigued by cults and the horrible things we do to each other without a supernatural twist, check out The Clearing. I can’t wait to finish it.
The Clearing premieres on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, on Hulu.
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Melody.McCune@geekgirlauthority.com
What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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