Antlers (C+ or 2/4 stars)
In 'Antlers' (a horror film directed by Scott Cooper, Crazy Heart, Black Mass, Hostiles), a middle school teacher becomes concerned about one of her troubled students, unaware that he's harboring something sinister locked up in his attic. Julia Meadows (Keri Russell) is said teacher who has returned to her dying Oregon hometown; where she deserted her family decades ago after her now deceased father had abused her. She's working at the local middle school, & is temporarily living with her younger brother, Paul (Jesse Plemons), the sheriff of the town where the abandoned mines have led to a rampant opioid problem. It is 12 yr. old Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas) who she is so concerned about, and not just because he is bullied.
Instead, to her {perhaps due to her own abuse as a child}, Lucas is showing signs of emotional trauma at home where he lives with his dad, Frank (Scott Haze), & younger brother, Aiden (Sawyer Jones); the fact that those last two have gone missing makes Julia's worries all the more pressing. Lucas' disturbing drawings indicate great turmoil. So after hearing Julia's concerns, Principal Ellen Booth (Amy Madigan) finally makes a house visit. But that turns out to be a baaad idea as something grotesque {and hungry} is locked up in the attic, with Lucas bringing it 'whatever' meat he can find. With Julia's anxiety mounting, she, Paul, & others are in for a malevolent surprise when they ultimately learn of the horror that is locked away in the house.
This horror tale benefits from initial intrigue & some rather astonishing monster design. But the positives kinda stop there. The film suffers a few too many cliches, jump-scares {though, one is a killer!}, & the story wears thin down the homestretch before the melodramatic ending. The actors aren't the problem. Keri Russell's Julia wears her dark past like an albatross around her neck and, that pain drives her forward. Jesse Plemons' Paul has let tragedy get to him; so he is reluctant & fairly useless to help his sister. Jeremy T. Thomas is excellent as the little boy who is more-or-less orphaned after fate strikes his father & brother. And Graham Greene is tasked with providing exposition as the wise old man who tells the legend of a local monster.
Cooper's depiction of the dying town is strong. And he lends his film a chilling, wintry atmosphere. And I must commend the mind-blowing monster design ... ew ew EW {in a good way}. But the film doesn't work as either allegory or entertainment. It is self-serious to a fault and fails to ignite. Aforementioned cliches include: characters endlessly wandering around in dark, dank places, & people making silly mistakes. The gore is extreme {some will love that}. Scenes of children in peril made me queasy. Everything is gloomy, miserable & oppressively dreary. And there isn't an ounce of fun to be had anywhere. Most horror films need that element.
Instead, to her {perhaps due to her own abuse as a child}, Lucas is showing signs of emotional trauma at home where he lives with his dad, Frank (Scott Haze), & younger brother, Aiden (Sawyer Jones); the fact that those last two have gone missing makes Julia's worries all the more pressing. Lucas' disturbing drawings indicate great turmoil. So after hearing Julia's concerns, Principal Ellen Booth (Amy Madigan) finally makes a house visit. But that turns out to be a baaad idea as something grotesque {and hungry} is locked up in the attic, with Lucas bringing it 'whatever' meat he can find. With Julia's anxiety mounting, she, Paul, & others are in for a malevolent surprise when they ultimately learn of the horror that is locked away in the house.
This horror tale benefits from initial intrigue & some rather astonishing monster design. But the positives kinda stop there. The film suffers a few too many cliches, jump-scares {though, one is a killer!}, & the story wears thin down the homestretch before the melodramatic ending. The actors aren't the problem. Keri Russell's Julia wears her dark past like an albatross around her neck and, that pain drives her forward. Jesse Plemons' Paul has let tragedy get to him; so he is reluctant & fairly useless to help his sister. Jeremy T. Thomas is excellent as the little boy who is more-or-less orphaned after fate strikes his father & brother. And Graham Greene is tasked with providing exposition as the wise old man who tells the legend of a local monster.
Cooper's depiction of the dying town is strong. And he lends his film a chilling, wintry atmosphere. And I must commend the mind-blowing monster design ... ew ew EW {in a good way}. But the film doesn't work as either allegory or entertainment. It is self-serious to a fault and fails to ignite. Aforementioned cliches include: characters endlessly wandering around in dark, dank places, & people making silly mistakes. The gore is extreme {some will love that}. Scenes of children in peril made me queasy. Everything is gloomy, miserable & oppressively dreary. And there isn't an ounce of fun to be had anywhere. Most horror films need that element.