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The Retreat
USA 2020
produced by Bruce Wemple, Nate VanDeusen, Grant Schumacher, Dylan Grunn, Ryan Sloan, Cole Payne (executive), Roger M. Mayer (executive), Anna Shields (executive) for 377 Films, Traverse Terror
directed by Bruce Wemple
starring Grant Schumacher, Dylan Grunn, Chris Cimperman, Peter Stray, Rick Montgomery jr, Ariella Mastroianni, Nate VanDeusen, Roger Cornell, Alex Lacey, Catharine Daddario, Kristin Kopach
written by Bruce Wemple, music by Nate VanDeusen, visual effects by 377 Films, Wendigo-costume by Immortal Masks
Wendigo
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Adam (Dylan Grunn) is about to get married, so as a sort-of batchelor
party, he and best friend Gus (Grant Schumacher) go on a backpacking trip
into the Adirondack High Peack - meaning massive hikes in the snow. At the
Air-BnB that serves as their base the learn about the legend of the
Wendigo, a creature with vampiric and even cannibalistic traits that
mostly plays on one's mind though, from their host Marty (Rick Montgomery
jr), but of course, legends are legends. That said, at their next camp,
after they have done some mushrooms they got from fellow hiker Ryan (Chris
Cimperman), Gus starts to see Wendigos, thinks they're chasing him, and
manages to stab one. The next morning, Gus finds Adam gone, and when he
finally manages to track him down, Adam's dead, stabbed to death most
probably - and it's more than likely that Gus has actually stabbed him the
night before under the drug-induced impression that he's the Wendigo. Gus
is quick to bury him and then tries to find his way back to civilisation -
but he only gets lost, until he ultimately finds a cabin, with no food
inside but a loaded gun. Gus takes abode in the cabin, and that night sees
a Wendigo attack which he shoots - only in the light of the next morning,
the body of the Wendigo turns out to be a dead hiker, which Gus in his
desparation cuts up and eats from. Gus is found eventually, brought back
to civilisation, and is of course thought to have killed Adam, whose body
hasn't been found. Thing is, periodically, Gus is pulled back to the hike
through the mountains, and the more vivid his memories get, the more they
start to tell another story ... The Retreat is a pretty
clever monster film that actually starts out playing it by the book, and
while it's very well made for sure, it gives one the feeling to have
things figured out before they have actually happened, really. But then,
abouth halfway through, the film questions that established reality,
subverts what has been seen really, to the point where it's up to the
viewer to decide for oneself what's true and what the main character's (or
any other character's) imagination. And what makes this work is that the
direction is very subtle about it, avoids "big" reveals instead
creates a feel of unease about what might and might not be real, and
generally puts atmosphere over action, while the solid cast keeps things
grounded, all of which makes this a pleasently creepy shocker.
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