ANTLERS

 Keri Russell     Jesse Plemons     Graham Greene     Amy Madigan     Jeremy T. Thomas     Scott Haze

            Be prepared; this is a scary shocking movie.  I was heard to yell out quietly twice.  Music by Javier Navarette, cinematography by Florian Hoffmeister, and production design by Tim Grimes set the stage, along with creepy and disturbing sounds that aren’t always identifiable.  Helmed by director Scott Cooper, the filmmakers have created a film that is successful in a number of respects, in addition to the above.

        For instance, the background of the two main characters, brother and sister Paul (Plemons) and Julia (Russell), includes child abuse, which gives them insight into the events they are discovering.  She is a dedicated teacher who picks up on signs in Lucas (Thomas), a student in her class, that everything is not all right at home.  And Frank Weaver (Haze) has a reputation and history in town that makes his current situation seem plausible.  Mix into these aspects Wendigo Indian mythology and you have the makings of a true horror show.  Producer Guillermo del Toro’s influences on production are palpable in a good way.            

        It’s great to see Keri Russell after her long stint on television in “The Americans.”  She brings some of her character, Elizabeth Jennings, from that series into this production with her inquiring mind and clarity of vision and purpose.  Even though he is a sheriff in their small town, her brother Paul has a tendency to deny what is in front of him and seek less troublesome explanations of events, but Julia goes right past him, at times doing some investigating on her own.  Plemons is to some degree effective in his role, repeating some of his others, namely Jake in I’m Thinking of Ending Things from a couple of years ago and Gary in Game Night, a 2018 movie, in which he seems a bit clueless.

            A stand-out is young Jeremy T. Thomas as Lucas, the child who is subjected to peculiar horrors on a daily basis and has come to realize that the role of parenting is on his shoulders long before he is ready.  His face and demeanor reflect all the emotional distress, fear, intimidation, and calm confidence that he is meant to display, and Thomas  appears to be a natural.

            I have a complaint in almost all the horror movies I see, that characters do things I would call foolish—even dumb.  After hearing sounds that should alert them to danger, they blunder right down into a dark cellar, out into the dark night, and in this case, opening a front door that no one has answered, behind which animal-like noises are heard from within.  These characters never ask for reinforcements before entering, often without a gun or even a flashlight.  Those scenes take my brain right out of the fantasy into a more practical mode.          

         Antlers is largely effective in achieving the aims of a horror flick that will set the viewer’s teeth on edge and tap into primordial fears common of most.

 A horror movie weaving in mythology, child abuse, and mystery into a gripping tale.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

FREE STATE OF JONES

Matthew McConaughey     Gugu Mbatha-Raw     Keri Russell     Mahershala Ali     Bill Tangradi     Christopher Berry     Sean Bridgers

           How to give an account of a major struggle that goes on for years, makes only inches of progress with setbacks, and contains dozens of stories?  The filmmakers of Free State of Jones have attempted just that, but needed more judicious editing for the sake of coherence and a bit of brevity.  At 139 minutes, it is too long, especially considering the weight of the material.  The story jumps back and forth between what is going on in Missouri during and just after the war and 85 years later when the son of two of the characters seems still to be fighting against racism.  If writer/director Gary Ross wanted to make a point about the length of the struggle, maybe that is his rationale for including this segment of the film, but it is so far removed from the core of the story it becomes too much to absorb.

         That being said, Free State of Jones is educational and even inspirational in showing how people in the South coped with the ending of the Civil War and the departure of the Union troops.  It’s also very painful to watch as the cruelty continued toward people of color, and the Confederates deflected their anger toward the Union upon them.  This is based on the true story of Newton Knight (McConaughey), a white man who valued freedom and equality for everyone, and how he got caught up in the cause, even when his wife (Russell) protested that he seemed more intent on protecting others when she and her son were having to endure repeated raids on their farm. 

         Newton is serving as a nurse in the Confederate Army when a young relative suddenly appears, asking for his help.  (Even at his young age, he has been conscripted into the Army, which is also plundering local farms for supplies.  They are supposed to be taking 10% from each private household, but often take everything.)  Newton is trying to get the child out of harm’s way when a bullet kills him, and Newton feels honor-bound to get his body back to his mother.  Now, Newton is a deserter, and has his picture on “Wanted” posters.

         Much of the rest of the story involves Newton hiding out in the swamp, being helped by runaway slaves, and eventually taking up their cause—which coincides with his own wish for freedom and justice for all.  It’s rewarding to see the cleverness Newton brings to the cause—he’s a natural born leader—and how talented he is at exploiting the weaknesses of the enemy and using his and his team’s strengths. 

        McConaughey has become a quintessential actor of excellence, and this is a role made for him in its combination of heroics and modesty.  Mbatha-Raw, as slave and healer Rachel, joins him in the rebellion, showing a fine balance between the refinement she has learned in a plantation house, subjugation, and resistance. 

       This film will be favored more by those who have an interest in history and can appreciate the complexities in relationships that it depicts.  And in that vein, those viewers will see how relevant it is today in speaking to our own conundrums regarding race, politics, marriage, and equality.

Think of this film as a history lesson and go see it!  (Like a history class, you won’t enjoy all of it, but you’ll appreciate its truths.)

Grade:  B                        By Donna R. Copeland