[Review] Antlers (8/10)

 

Title - Antlers
Production - Searchlight Pictures, TSG Entertainment, Phantom Four Films
Starring - Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas, Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane, Amy Madigan, Sawyer Jones
Writer - Henry Chaisson, Nick Antosca, Scott Cooper
Director - Scott Cooper
Release - 29 October 2021

It's worthy to note that one of the producers was Guillermo del Toro. That's why when I was watching how the monster "evolved", I was very surprised that we got to see as much and as clearly as we did. Typical Hollywood horror movies don't show you much, and usually made with CGI.

Except when it's del Toro. And unlike a del Toro movie, Scott Cooper was able to bring a very different vibe and atmosphere.

First off, we had great leads in Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons, and also a convincing young Jeremy T. Thomas. Right from the beginning, there was a creepy vibe that set the tone that this was unlike the typical Hollywood trash.

And also, there were no cheap scares at all. Even the one that made me jump, was tastefully done with a camera flash.

My only complaint was one character just willingly walk to the her death, another Hollywood horror trait that is super annoying. In my mind I would have done it a little differently. Russell's character also did it a couple of times but always had the good sense to not stray. 

I don't know why Hollywood can't do horrors like this one with more practical rather than full-on CGI because the difference is huge. But, of course, it's not just the monsters; it's also requires the right kind of execution which, fortunately, this movie had.