Antlers (2021) Review

Scott Cooper’s first foray into horror comes in the form of traditional American folk horror ‘Antlers’. Produced by seasoned genre aficionado Guillermo del Toro, the feature is based on short story ‘The Quiet Boy’ from Nick Antosca (who has an impressive list of writing credits himself – including television series ‘Hannibal’ and Netflix ‘Brand New Cherry Flavour’).

Set in a small town in rural Oregon, Antlers follows troubled teacher Julia (Keri Russell) who has recently returned to her childhood home to live with her brother Paul (Jesse Plemons).

Julia’s traumatic past has left her acutely sensitive to similarly vulnerable souls and something about the quiet demeanour of her young student Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas) concerns her. The boy is dishevelled and frail, regularly withdrawing inside himself. Despite the clear signs of abuse, the relevant services are overwhelmed and Julia struggles to get the support required to help Lucas. As she takes it upon herself to look out for the quiet boy, strange events start to occur across town and Julia begins to suspect there may be a link.

Antlers delicately weaves traditional Native American folklore into a very real portrayal of the devastating effects of the drug crisis in America. From the myths of ancient civilisations to contemporary fairy tales, stories have always been used to explain the world around us. Exploring the use of myth to reconcile a difficult reality, Antlers brings the escapism of fables to the present.

Though not a traditional ‘creature feature’, the film utilises some impressive FX to bring the tale to life – with the reveal of the Wendigo made all the more harrowing by the devastating context of its birth.

The film has a serious undertone that runs throughout which strengthened by its robust emotional core. This wouldn’t be possible without the devastatingly authentic performance from child actor Jeremy T. Thomas who manages to demonstrate a sense of knowing and responsibility far beyond his years.

With the weight of responsibility clearly weighing upon his diminutive frame, Lucas takes on the role of primary caregiver to his family – caring for his little brother Aiden (Sawyer Jones) when his father is unable to.

Loyal to the source material, Antlers expands the tale by delving into the impact of the rampant drug crisis, telling the story of those often forgotten and overlooked. Whilst there is plenty for genre fans to appreciate, the films layers hit hard – opening the feature to wider audiences.

ANTLERS IS IN UK CINEMAS 29 OCTOBER 2021. Read our Antlers Interview with Scott Cooper HERE.

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