Review: ANTLERS Is a Super Dark and Hellish Horror Movie

Most horror movies that I see get made these days incorporate some kind of light humor into the story to give the audience some kind of relief from the intensity that is going on. Well, with Antlers, producer Guillermo del Toro and director Scott Cooper made a horror movie void of any humor. The went straight for the jugular on this film, making a jet-black hellish horror movie that makes your stomach turn.

Antlers is one of the darkest and most intense horror films that I’ve seen in a long time. I really wasn’t expecting what this film delivered. It was a great, well-made film that told an insane story. I want to say that I enjoyed it, but at the same time, it’s hard to commit to that because of how it made me feel. So many emotions! With no humor the film was just dark, depressing, sad, frustrating, angry, demented, and distressing. I mean, it was seriously a jacked-up film. It’s been a day since I watched it, and I’m still trying to shake it off.

Now, the thing, is I love horror movies like that! Horror movie that make you think and screw with you head. Movies that don’t rely on jump scares, and instead relies on character development and story, and that’s what Antlers gives us. So, yeah… I loved the movie for what it was, but it’s definitely not for everyone.

The story is set in a small, rundown coal mining town in Oregon, and it follows a teacher (Keri Russell) and her brother (Jesse Plemons), the local sheriff, who discover that a young student is harboring a dangerous secret with frightening and nightmarish consequences. The story is based on the Native American legend of the Wendigo. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, but as you’ve seen in the trailers ,the kid has locked away a creature in a room. If you see the film, you’ll see there’s a lot deeper story there that is absolutely heartbreaking.

There’s also a whole side story dealing with the brother and sister character that plays into psyche of what is going on with the young boy. The movie really delves into the characters, which made the story so much more interesting.

Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons were both great in the film. But the real star in the film is young Jeremy T. Thomas, who plays the young boy Lucas. This kid gave an insanely impressive performance! He barely had any dialogue in the film, but he was saying so much with his eyes. Good grief, this kid is good.

Then there’s the whole Wendigo creature design in the film and that whole thing was absolutely terrifying! There’s one scene in particular during the climax of the film where you see the monster and that visual… it will haunt my dreams forever. I will not get that visual out of my head.

Cooper and Del Toro succeeded in delivering a great and super dark horror movie that will most definitely stick with you after you watch it. If you’re a horror movie fan, you’ve got to see it. If you’re not, then it’s probably not for you.