Director: Charlie Steeds
Year: 2019
Country: United Kingdom
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Slasher
Plot:
Out in the woods hunting deer, a man separated from his father by the conditions finds himself comforted by a lonely old woman in a remote cabin, but the longer he stays with her the more he comes to believe her claims about a series of skinned creatures out in the woods aren’t the real threat.
Review:
This one wasn’t all too bad of an effort. One of the film’s strongest aspects at play is the enjoyable setup that’s incredibly intriguing as well as providing for some fine setups. The kids’ arrival at her remote cabin in the forest through deer hunting and then being stranded there with an injury that keeps him there to hear her backstory about the creature hunting her is a great way to get this going. The description of the incident from the discovery of the footprints outside and then eventually her retelling of the terrifying encounter which is quite bone-chilling, and when all added together with the freezing cold winds and snow serve for a great setup.
That leads into the stellar series of scenes between the two of them in the cabin. The film’s smart enough to play incredibly well with the concept of whether or not the isolation and the story she’s told have driven her insane, providing plenty of fun here as the outbursts and interactions really drive this section of the film. From the genuine emotional outburst over the dog’s death to the revelation about his meal to the growing distrust about the true nature of the creatures out there, this back-and-forth nature makes for a pleasing side-plot about her mental stability as she becomes far more unhinged the longer he stays there.
The other decent part here is the connection to the creatures and the few scenes we have with them. Starting with the opening assault on the family where they get systematically slaughtered and ripped to pieces, the brutality and ferocity of the attack serve as a shocking start. Forged by the stories we’ve heard, the encounter in the cabin where the creature attacks them creates some tense moments, and brutal scenes where they get to stop the creature are pretty fun methods. The finale, which turns into a series of bloody and gory shootouts throughout the cabin, keeps this one incredibly enjoyable for the most part delivering action where it counts. These here are what works for the film.
There are a few issues to be had here. The main issue is the fact that the premise of having them stuck together with no other people around causes this to get quite boring and repetitive. The mind games get old quickly when you realize that’s all the film has as it won’t go back to the creatures that are out in the woods which is a total cheat since they’re not the main focus of the film. For all the focus and attention given to them early on, there’s nothing done with them about their true nature or if they’re truly threats at all based on what they do with them. These here are what hold the film back overall.
Overview: ***.5/5
Despite being a total cheat in not being a creature feature despite the setup, there’s enough at play here with the depth of insanity that gets played with more often to make for a fun time. If you’re fine with the switch in here and willing to go along with the more human-centric storytelling or are a fan of the creative crew this one could be quite fun while those who would be upset at the switch should heed caution.
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