Zombies, vampires, werewolves, ghosts: everyone has heard of these basic Halloween horror monsters, which at this point are predictable and overdone. With hundreds, if not thousands, of folktales and myths all over the world to draw inspiration from, it’s refreshing to see a film that centers around a different kind of monster; one who has been surprisingly and notoriously absent from horror films. Scott Cooper’s “Antlers” brings the First Nations’ legend of the Wendigo to the mainstream screen with the help of producer and legendary filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro.
“Antlers” introduces the audience to a teacher named Julia (Keri Russell) who begins to suspect that a student in her class, Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), is being neglected and abused at home. Adapted from a short story by Nick Antosca titled “The Quiet Boy,” the film follows Lucas as he tries to survive after an accident that killed his family, and Julia as she tries to decipher what is truly happening in Lucas’ home.
The First Nations are “Indigenous peoples in Canada who are not Metis or Inuit” as described by The Canadian Encyclopedia. The legend of the Wendigo originates from these communities, and describes a malignant spirit that transforms and infects humans with insatiable greed or hunger, often considered cannibalistic. As oral histories go, there are many different interpretations as to what a Wendigo looks like. The team behind “Antlers” created their own version using mostly practical effects, as well as CGI, to achieve what could not be done practically. The creature isn’t clearly seen until near the end of the film, only being teased in shadows, quick flashes and blink-and-you-might-miss-it violence. Once it reveals itself, the Wendigo is a menacing and unsettling display.
The Wendigo is considered as a cautionary tale, warning about the dangers of selfishness and greed and emphasizing the importance of community. “Antlers” certainly takes this into account, developing several themes during its 99 minute runtime. In an interview with DiscussingFilm, Cooper touches on this as he talks about the inspiration for the design of the creature.
“[L]et’s make this serve as a metaphor for the destruction of our natural resources, and the Native American colonization by white European settlers. We do that by making the Wendigo feel as though it’s emerged from the Earth’s crust, its mantle. It’s made of iron and ore, and embers fly off it,” said Cooper. “It’s also a metaphor for how we’re destructing our bodies. Alcoholism, opioid addiction, because I firmly believe that the scariest movies hold up a dark mirror to America’s fear and anxieties.”
Themes of abuse, trauma and environmentalism are just a few of the topics suggested by the film.
The film takes its time in generating an eerie, mysterious atmosphere, matching the foggy, chilling air of the small Oregon town in which it takes place. Reading like more of a sad drama for the first half, the film dives into Julia’s past as well as Lucas’ present to explore both of their childhood traumas. Russell is no stranger to the horror genre, appearing in 2013’s “Dark Skies” directed by Scott Stewart. Thomas finds himself not only new to the horror genre, but to feature films as well, with “Antlers” being his debut in both. Russell talked to ScreenRant about her chemistry with the young actor and how it was to work with him.
“He’s so different than anyone else. And he feels different – his whole energy for his age,” Russell said. “He’s so watchful and weary in his nature, so if anything, I was just trying to be kind of steady and calm to lure him in just a little bit. But you know, he was amazing. He’s the movie. All you have to do is watch him. He sold so much of it, just being who he is.”
Russell’s description of Thomas also describes his character of Lucas. A quiet and peculiar young boy, Lucas is standoffish with peering, glossy eyes that communicate something is not right. Thomas’ real-life demeanor might have helped him fall into the role much easier, but he is also clearly and undoubtedly talented. Seeing Lucas handle the situations he is unfortunately put in will make you both sympathize with and be wary of him.
Perhaps overshadowed by bigger releases like Edgar Wright’s “Last Night in Soho” and Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch,” “Antlers” has been somewhat pushed to the side in terms of weekend movie picks. Featuring bloody, gory body horror and creepy kids, “Antlers” is a modern creature feature that makes for a jumpy, fun theater experience.
Hilary Gil is an Entertainment Staff Writer. She can be reached at hsgil@uci.edu.