Antlers

I had a great time with this one. As much as I don’t love horror (more like my cardiovascular system doesn’t), Antlers by Scott Cooper was a big surprise. The gritty audiovisual style fit perfectly with the overall unsettling tone... The intense opening really set the stage. And most importantly, we were treated to an incredibly interesting monster. I was genuinely blown away by the flawless design (that final reveal... I was totally stunned). And the violence? I haven’t seen such naturalistic and brutal moments in a US film for a long time. And the story? Sure, I could imagine a few improvements. On the other hand, there weren’t any outright logical blunders. So, it’s good :D I give it a well-deserved 7.5/10. (02/13/2024)

I am always apprehensive about movies categorized as horror. Paradoxically, I'm afraid that I won't be scared, and I'll be bored out of my mind instead. It usually turns out that way. In this case, it was different. I can’t say I was scared as it wasn’t really a horror movie, but it worked very well as a sort of mystery thriller featuring my favorite Keri Russell. Even the lead child role was cast perfectly. The boy seemed to be given just enough to eat each time to last until the end of the scene, and then he was left to starve again until the next cut. In a damp cellar. The movie had a great atmosphere, and I wonder how much the producers had to pay the Londoners for giving up their weather for the duration of the filming. It was humid, it was foggy, and there was explicit violence. The only thing missing was the horror. But I enjoyed it nevertheless. (01/15/2022)

The skilful Scott Cooper tried to make a horror film and I actually bought it all. I was looking forward to Antlers for a long time and surprisingly I didn't mind the intimacy and slower pace, because the film drew me in from the beginning and, thanks to the very depressing and gloomy atmosphere, I was entertained throughout. It’s beautifully shot, with excellent music, convincing performances, an attractive mythology and legend around the wendigo, and most importantly, there is really disgusting and unpleasant gore; the shots of the dead are a treat, they played around and there were some minor and one downright heart attack scare, so I am satisfied. The final appearance of the monster is so awesome that it beats even Alien, I haven't seen anything better, more disgusting, bizarre and original. For me, it was almost full worthy of a full score, I enjoyed it a lot, and every horror scene was a blast, spiced up with an amazing musical score. Story 3/5, Action 3/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 4/5, Fun 4/5 Music 5/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotions 2/5, Actors 4/5. 8/10. (11/02/2021)

Scott Cooper blew me away with Hostiles, so in the back of my mind I was hoping it would be no different with his bold horror move Antlers. Sadly, that didn’t happen, and as much as I wish it would work, it can't be rated more than two stars. It's clear from the start that the film has no ambition to be the hit of the year and is simpler in almost every way – three characters, three locations, one occasional monster and there's no constant scares or thick and relentless horror atmosphere to speak of either. The film basically has an hour-long introduction, where you are just waiting for that final climax and the final carnage, but paradoxically, where the film should excel, it feels most comical, rushed, unoriginal to the point of ridiculousness, and the whole previous effort is completely obliterated. Not to mention that the concept of the monster is not explored at all and we don't even get the basic answers as to WHAT and WHY it happened. Antlers is a director's misstep and a cinematic blunder that fortunately can be survived in the theatre without harm, but at home I probably wouldn't have lasted to the end. A week later, I don't know what it was about. (11/02/2021)

Scott Cooper, in the manner of Amadeus Mozart, might say, “My apple people understand me.” I've never bashed him. Perfect craftsmanship, as Cooper is wont to do, so what more could I ask for? Maybe just cut out the final Ripley vs. Boss duel, or put it in a different way, with smarts, a trap, or something. Otherwise, the gloomy atmosphere worked out on me, the camera taking in the autumn weather of the western borders of the United States helped a lot, evil gets lost in the deep woods. I like Keri Russell a lot (I recommend the excellent series The Americans), she's great again here and I'd like to see her in more leading roles. (10/18/2023)