After her mother has died, teenaged Gretchen (Hunter Schafer) finds herself pretty much forced to move to the Bavarian Alps with her dad (Marton Csokas), his second wife Beth (Jessica Henwick) and her half-sister Alma (Mila Lieu), and to make enough money to pay for her trip back to the USA she's quick to accept an offer to work as receptionist at Mr. König's resort (Dan Stevens), with König having also been the one who lured the family to Bavaria with a bit architectural project. For some reason, König's adamant for her to never travel home at night on her bicycle, and when she does so one night, she's suddenlty chased by a weird hooded woman (Kalin Morrow), a chase that causes an accident and lands Gretchen in Dr. Bonomo's (Proschat Madani) hospital, where that very same night Alma's admitted to for seizures. Back at work, Gretchen's more determined than ever to make it back to the States, so she empties the cash register and hitches a ride with a guest (Astrid Bergčs-Frisbey) she has befriended, but due to the hooded woman again they have a car accident and again land in hospital. These experiences lead Gretchen to the conclusion that something's seriously not right in these parts of the woods, but the only one who believes her is washe up detective Henry (Jan Bluthardt), who tells her a story about the hooded woman and more of her "species" who apparently haunt the countryside and have killed his wife (Lesley Jennifer Higl). They actually experience one such creature at a stake-out attacking a work colleague of Gretchen's (Greta Fernández). Gretchen decides to confront König with this, but König at first plays her "understanding" friend, even promises to give her money and drive her to the next train station - but is of course quick to betray their friendship as he proves to be a keeper of this new human "species" that relies on normal humans to carry their offspring, and somehow this species has also turned on us humans. What's even more, Alma might actually be one of these creatures. But what's even more worrying König has now made her and Henry his prisoners, and wants them eliminated by these new humans ...

Truth to be told, the first twenty or so minuted, this movie meanders a bit and puts too much effort into detailing the dynamics of Gretchen's family, including some elements that don't really serve the story as it progresses in any way. But once the film gains traction and adds absurdity upon absurdity (in a very plausible way), it actually gets entertaining as heck, with plenty of suspense, jump scares, action and also the occasional grotesquerie thrown into the mix. And Hunter Schafer carries the thing rather beautifully, supported by a very solid ensemble, helping to make this one cool piece of genre entertainment.

review © by Mike Haberfelner

 

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