Director: Casey Walker
Year: 2026
Country: Canada
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
During a harsh winter storm, a skilled fur trapper is tasked with leading a contingent of soldiers into the wilderness to investigate a series of strange reports, bringing them face to face with a supernatural curse that has affected the previous victims, turning them into ravenous killers.
Review:
For the most part, this was a wholly enjoyable effort. Among the better factors with this one is the immensely effective and likable starting point that helps to create an incredibly strong immersion into the world at present. The incredibly well-detailed first half, spending as much time on the group of characters and their backstories with each other that lets us get to know not only the trapper and his family life with the local indigenous tribe but the British soldiers looking to find out what’s going on with their missing mate and forcing the search into the wilderness together, creates a great starting point here. The in-depth nature of the differing storylines present, from the trapper looking to escape his troubled past in his new life with the Indian woman, the British soldier looking to find out what type of scenario is affecting the missing furs in the area, and the influx of stories about what’s going on with the malevolent spirit forcing those afflicted with a maddening hunger for human flesh, completes this and makes everything feel even more pressing and chilling.
On top of that fun setup, the various setpieces here are incredibly well-handled and serve to enhance this quite a bit. Those indigenous backstories involving the afflicted turning into a savage, stripping naked and heading off into the woods with the chance to attack and rip apart anything it comes across serve to provide a great clue for what’s going on that is paid off later on when it takes place with one of the afflicted members of the party. This is made all the better with the big finale, where the group finds the camp under attack and the general sense of chaos that emerges from the series of attacks and confrontations that come about due to the series of possessed individuals that are allowed to go crazy, throwing everyone around or just generally attacking anyone they come across. Given the intensity of the action and the generally fun style of encounters here, there’s plenty to enjoy here despite a few flaws in the slow-going build-up to actually get them to the location where the supernatural evil takes place, making this part feel quite sluggish to get going. Combined with a frantic finish that just ends, these hold it back just slightly.
Overview: ***.5/5
A really solid and likable genre effort, there’s a lot to like, with some genuinely likable elements featured here to offset a few drawbacks present that hold it back. Those with an appreciation for this style or approach, or who are curious about it, will have the most to like here, while those turned off by its drawbacks should heed caution.
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