Saulnier sets up a wide establishing shot of a harsh snow covered landscape. The bleak Alaskan village with its dilapidated homes sits innocuously against a white back drop of snow. The dark brooding sound track creates a feeling of quiet despair which is maintained throughout the film. Medora Slone (Riley Keough) is a desperate woman who lives a solitary existence waiting for her husband to return home from war. Although her character doesn't have much screen time her performance is convincing as a disturbed, emotionally traumatized mother. Russel Core (Jeffrey Wright) is a published wildlife expert who is estranged from his own daughter but seeks some kind of redemption.
During the first part of the film the story shifts from the desolate wilderness of Alaska to the deserts of Iraq. Vernon Slone (Alexander Skarsgård) is quickly established as a cold individual who relentlessly pursues his own justice at any cost. Meanwhile Russel Core discovers an uncomfortable truth about the young boys killer and helps the local police. Towards the end of the first act the focus shifts to Vernon Slone when he returns from the Iraq war following an injury. Confronted with the profound grief of losing his son he decides to take matters in to his own hands. Now the film changes tempo as Vernon Slone goes on a killing spree aided briefly by his long term friend Cheeon (Julian Black Antelope).
When the police chief Donald Marium (James Badge Dale) and Russel Core find a trail of carnage at the coroners they return to the village to find some answers. This brings the film to the climactic set piece. Marium visits Cheeon to ask him some questions but he doesn't cooperate. This scene produces a brutal shoot out which could quite easily have come from Heat. Saulnier doesn't shy away from the visceral realism of people being wounded and killed as Cheeon showers police with bullets from a machine gun. Eventually things end much as can be expected with dead bodies scattered on the snow. But there is no denying the raw power of this scene which leaves the third act feeling lukewarm in comparison.
After the aforementioned criscendo the film returns to the wilderness which shares center stage once again. At this point the lead characters feel dispensable as Slone continues to hunt for the killer of his son leaving dead bodies in his wake. Discarding elderly natives and old friends who help him like used paper towels. Slone performs each killing with all the emotional verve of Michael Myers from Halloween, killing indiscriminately like a man possessed. In fact this is the only explanation for such carnage. A man who is possessed by an evil wolf spirit. But despite this fact the film still feels like it flounders in its attempt.
Saulnier sets the mood of this film with Consummate professionalism but the narrative feels lost as the film progresses. What starts as a nature, survivalist tale becomes a mixture of violent art house horror sprinkled with elements of The Revenant. But no oscar nomination here. As the film progresses the performances feel underwhelming as the quiet insanity and ancient curse of the Alaskan natives takes hold of the main character.
Hold the dark should have been a suspenseful thriller. But the slow pacing of this film and lack of direction in the third act made it meander. It has all the right ingredients to create an art house horror and some solid performances but the story leaves you feeling unsatisfied. The bleak location and cinematography help to create a dark and unforgiving narrative, but the film plods to its eventual ending with more questions than answers.
During the first part of the film the story shifts from the desolate wilderness of Alaska to the deserts of Iraq. Vernon Slone (Alexander Skarsgård) is quickly established as a cold individual who relentlessly pursues his own justice at any cost. Meanwhile Russel Core discovers an uncomfortable truth about the young boys killer and helps the local police. Towards the end of the first act the focus shifts to Vernon Slone when he returns from the Iraq war following an injury. Confronted with the profound grief of losing his son he decides to take matters in to his own hands. Now the film changes tempo as Vernon Slone goes on a killing spree aided briefly by his long term friend Cheeon (Julian Black Antelope).
When the police chief Donald Marium (James Badge Dale) and Russel Core find a trail of carnage at the coroners they return to the village to find some answers. This brings the film to the climactic set piece. Marium visits Cheeon to ask him some questions but he doesn't cooperate. This scene produces a brutal shoot out which could quite easily have come from Heat. Saulnier doesn't shy away from the visceral realism of people being wounded and killed as Cheeon showers police with bullets from a machine gun. Eventually things end much as can be expected with dead bodies scattered on the snow. But there is no denying the raw power of this scene which leaves the third act feeling lukewarm in comparison.
After the aforementioned criscendo the film returns to the wilderness which shares center stage once again. At this point the lead characters feel dispensable as Slone continues to hunt for the killer of his son leaving dead bodies in his wake. Discarding elderly natives and old friends who help him like used paper towels. Slone performs each killing with all the emotional verve of Michael Myers from Halloween, killing indiscriminately like a man possessed. In fact this is the only explanation for such carnage. A man who is possessed by an evil wolf spirit. But despite this fact the film still feels like it flounders in its attempt.
Saulnier sets the mood of this film with Consummate professionalism but the narrative feels lost as the film progresses. What starts as a nature, survivalist tale becomes a mixture of violent art house horror sprinkled with elements of The Revenant. But no oscar nomination here. As the film progresses the performances feel underwhelming as the quiet insanity and ancient curse of the Alaskan natives takes hold of the main character.
Hold the dark should have been a suspenseful thriller. But the slow pacing of this film and lack of direction in the third act made it meander. It has all the right ingredients to create an art house horror and some solid performances but the story leaves you feeling unsatisfied. The bleak location and cinematography help to create a dark and unforgiving narrative, but the film plods to its eventual ending with more questions than answers.
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