Movie Review: Antlers

Upon first glance, one might be inclined to dismiss the new horror film Antlers as being simply something schlocky without even giving it a chance. That would be a catastrophic disservice to both the film and to the viewer as Scott Cooper’s film may be one of the more terrifying yet satisfying films of the genre since Robert Eggers’ The Witch (2016).

Keri Russell plays Julia Meadows, a middle-school teacher who happens to have a student (Jeremy T. Thomas) whose work has manifested in disturbingly graphic and macabre drawings, which leads Julia to explore the possibility of abuse happening at home. But, when she enlists the assistance of her brother, the town’s sheriff (Jesse Plemons), it becomes clear that there is more to the young boy’s artwork than mere neglect.

Director Cooper – working from a script by himself, C. Henry Chaisson, and Nick Antosca (who also wrote the short story “The Quiet Boy” upon which the film is based) – delivers what may be one of the most effective horror films in recent memory. As in his films Hostiles (2017) and Black Mass (2015), there is a deep-seeded evil at work here that permeates almost every frame of the story. From the disorienting opening preamble straight through to the final confrontation between heroes and monster, there is no shortage of dread or aching sympathy for young Lucas Weaver (Thomas) and the excruciating reality of what has now become his daily routine until his story is ultimately played out.

Keri Russell in “Antlers.”

Thomas proves singularly adept at handling the tremendous amount of dramatic weight that falls on him to carry a bulk of the film’s narrative and emotion (mostly through simple looks of fear or determination). He easily drives the entire film through his remarkable performance. As siblings with their own troubled past, Russell and Plemons play equally well off of each other while still allowing the overall narrative to take precedence. Later on, even the appearance of Graham Greene as a sort of imparter of the legend of the creature the pair are up against, feels natural and organic.

Cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister imbues the film with an otherworldly look that remains rooted in reality yet still suggests that the supernatural happening in the film might actually be occurring. Similarly, editor Dylan Tichenor does an excellent job of creating suspense with a glimpse here and a quick cut there without giving any clear looks at the horror that awaits any of the characters before it is unfortunately too late. The score, by Javier Navarrete (Pan’s Labyrinth [2006]), is evocative and haunting in the way it underscores the horror onscreen without telegraphing or overindulging in it.

While one may be inclined to overlook Scott Cooper’s mesmerizing Antlers as a genre film they might not be inclined to enjoy, those who do take the chance on it will be rewarded with one of the more original and memorable horror films in years.

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Mike Tyrkus

Editor in Chief at CinemaNerdz.com

An independent filmmaker, co-writer and director of over a dozen short films, the Editor in Chief of CinemaNerdz.com has spent much of the last three decades as a writer and editor specializing in biographical and critical reference sources in literature and the cinema, beginning in February 1991 reviewing films for his college newspaper. He was a member of the Detroit Film Critics Society, as well as the group's webmaster and one-time President for over a decade until the group ceased to exist. His contributions to film criticism can be found in Magill's Cinema Annual, VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever (of which he was the editor for nearly a decade until it too ceased to exist), the International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, and the St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia (on which he collaborated with editor Andrew Sarris). He has also appeared on the television program Critic LEE Speaking alongside Lee Thomas of FOX2 and Adam Graham, of The Detroit News. He currently lives in the Detroit area with his wife and their dogs.

@miketyrkus

Mike Tyrkus

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