Vaughn and Marcus’ decision not to immediately report what has happened to the authorities is the crux upon which Palmer’s whole screenplay hinges.
Accidental and tragic complications rapidly ensue. After a very boozy first night in a village pub with the (mostly) friendly locals, the hungover duo head off into the forest to bag some game. That Vaughn is shown being waved off on the doorstep of their suburban home by his pregnant wife Anna (Olivia Morgan) will strike an ominous note for those even passingly familiar with the tropes of genre cinema.
Striking out into unfamiliar territory has its hazards, of course, as longtime buddies Vaughn (Jack Lowden) and Marcus (Martin McCann) learn when venturing into the Caledonian wilds for a couple days’ shooting. He takes well-remembered 1970s classics like Straw Dogs, Deliverance and The Wicker Man as his obvious templates before wisely heading off in original directions of his own. If you like: Hot Fuzz (2007), The Ritual (2017), feeling exhausted and drained after watching a film.Having turned out a handful of widely traveled shorts over the past dozen years including Island (2007) and The Gas Man (2014), Palmer graduates to a bigger canvas with confident aplomb here. The film ends with Vaughn choosing as he did right after the accident occurred, restoring balance to the natural order of things. The punishment doled out by the few townspeople on the two men are reminiscent of western films in an isolated setting, abiding only to the laws of small town justice. The film truly tests the audience’s nerve in playing the waiting game, constantly on edge for the other shoe to drop.Īnother theme that is present is “cause and effect”. The unnerving experience of “everyone’s out to get you” and “they know” is truly immersive. The paranoia and anxiety amplified in the film revokes the dread in Hot Fuzz (2007). The limited timeline and location are perfect in creating suspense. Keep in mind that this film tells of a story set within 3 nights in a small town that relies on tourism provided by forest-lovers and hunting fanatics. Boy, was I wrong! The forest setting of the films is where the similarities end. This film is a Netflix production and the whole hunting/hiking-in-the-woods premise reminded me strongly of a prior Netflix film Ritual (2017) I had watched recently. Synopsis: Vaughn and Marcus are lifelong friends go on a hunting trip together but an accident occurs that tests their morals and friendship.
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