Anyone who caught a glimpse of the trailer would be certain a genre-meshing treat was on the cards, but 'Hold the Dark' fails to fulfil on that eerie expectation by the time the anti-climactic ending happens.
The film stars Jeffrey Wright as a retired naturalist and wolf expert lured into an intriguing mystery about the disappearance of a young boy - supposedly taken by wolves. The setting imbues a sense of foreboding, an aesthetic the story deserves, at least initially. But the further into the narrative you go, the more everything blurs. The mystery goes from dark adventure to crime thriller with undertones of supernatural/occult themes that not only don't gel with the outset, but also don't unravel into anything that makes sense. You can tell that 'Hold the Dark' has the right recipe, but the ingredients are all under-cooked, and the result is never as tasty as the trailers promise.
The landscapes and visuals are undeniably the film's greatest strength, but there's only so long that the beautifully rendered, ice-cold bleak winter setting can keep you engaged before you need some narrative sustenance to satisfy curiosity. More an art film than an adventure, 'Hold the Dark' has a couple of lively sequences courtesy of bursts of violence that punctuate the monotonous pace, but because the plot isn't as tantalising as it should be, just like the setting, it feels rather empty before proceedings slow down again. The final impression is something you realise sustained your curiosity, attempted to test intellect, but failed to conclude events properly; ultimately leaving you baffled and disappointed.
6/10
The film stars Jeffrey Wright as a retired naturalist and wolf expert lured into an intriguing mystery about the disappearance of a young boy - supposedly taken by wolves. The setting imbues a sense of foreboding, an aesthetic the story deserves, at least initially. But the further into the narrative you go, the more everything blurs. The mystery goes from dark adventure to crime thriller with undertones of supernatural/occult themes that not only don't gel with the outset, but also don't unravel into anything that makes sense. You can tell that 'Hold the Dark' has the right recipe, but the ingredients are all under-cooked, and the result is never as tasty as the trailers promise.
The landscapes and visuals are undeniably the film's greatest strength, but there's only so long that the beautifully rendered, ice-cold bleak winter setting can keep you engaged before you need some narrative sustenance to satisfy curiosity. More an art film than an adventure, 'Hold the Dark' has a couple of lively sequences courtesy of bursts of violence that punctuate the monotonous pace, but because the plot isn't as tantalising as it should be, just like the setting, it feels rather empty before proceedings slow down again. The final impression is something you realise sustained your curiosity, attempted to test intellect, but failed to conclude events properly; ultimately leaving you baffled and disappointed.
6/10