Director: L. Van Dyke Siboutszen
Year: 2024
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural Slasher
Plot:
On a hunting trip in Michigan, a group of friends celebrating the start of hunting season stumble upon a series of strange deaths triggered by the murder of a Native American woman in a long series of similar incidents unleashing an avenging Native American spirit now targeting them.
Review:
This was a fairly solid and likable genre effort. One of the main aspects found here is the strong build-up to the general storyline where everything here comes together quite nicely. The initial setup of the group coming to the area to enjoy the hunting afforded by the area only to come upon a series of attacks on Native American women in the city which pulls them into its sphere due to the involvement of the latest victim being a bartender they befriended who becomes the latest victim in a series of violent outbursts in the area. This idea of merging the two stories together by making the group become the new victims of the hunter once they arrive in the woods after being caught up in the rampage makes this a rather solid setup with a fantastic touch on the treatment of indigenous tribes with how that sets everything in motion here.
The other enjoyable factor with this one is the series of antics on display with the use of the supernatural killer coming to life and taking out those responsible for taking out other Native American women. Given a fantastic motivation for the rampage, the whole thing taking place out in the woods where it can use its powers and manipulation of the environment to provide a slew of intriguing sequences of it appearing to take down the hunters one by one. Attacking the couple by the lake, the big ambush on the main cabin, and the traps laid out in the woods to stop it have a lot to like keeping the action frantic and furious with the series of attacks presented here involving the great kills on display with the impressive look of the killer also coming together to all provide the film with a lot to like.
There are some issues to be had with this one. Among the main drawbacks to be had with this one is the immensely disproportionate pacing present here where its rather bizarre tempo leaves this one quite uneasy and uneven. There’s way too much time spent on the stereotypical racist town of backwoods rednecks with their treatment of the Native Americans in the town setting up the idea of what’s going on but going way beyond the point of it being as useful as it should with how mow time is spent on it, while other scenes involving the team being stalked in the woods by the creature or it taunting the others with it which leaves this to make the encounters fun if immensely quick in comparison. It also leaves little time for explanations about everything as we get to know very little about the creature hunting them as a result so its powers are cool if entirely unexplained as well as its backstory, which along with a completely lacking sense of humor bring this down.
Overview: ***.5/5
A wholly enjoyable and likable throwback that has a few drawbacks, there’s a lot to like with this one as a decent genre throwback while being let down slightly by only a few drawbacks. Those who appreciate this kind of genre effort or are curious about it will have the most to like while only those who are turned off by these factors should heed caution.
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