Dir. Scott Cooper | Now Streaming On: Hulu | Rating: 4/5

Antlers was one of my most anticipated releases for 2021 and I’m still bummed I didn’t get to see this in theaters. To my disappointment, this film ambitiously bit off more than it could chew with the sheer amount of themes it wanted to address. ⁠
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My review is cushioned by the dark and gloomy mood of the film. Set in Oregon and filmed in British Columbia, the cinematography of Antlers is filled with breathtaking shots of pure Pacific Northwest aesthetic. In the Pacific Northwest vein, this looks to address addiction, poverty, and generational trauma. We see how broken the system in Cispus Falls is – it’s failing its own people and everyone knows it. From the police to the school system, it doesn’t matter how bad people have it, this is just “how things are.” The transformation from man to wendigo can even be allegory for how addiction changes us and hurts the ones we love, even if it isn’t our intention. ⁠
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That brings us to the wendigo. This is one of the most impressive del Toro monsters we’ve ever seen on screen. It’s horrifying, otherworldly, beautiful even. But the appearance of the wendigo adds a new lens to the story and a gaping hole for improvement. The wendigo is a creature of First Nations legend, which deserves utmost respect in any artistic interpretation. However, there is slim First Nations representation in this film. Graham Greene, the only First Nations actor in the project, gets minimal screen time. It gives the connection to the legend such a hollow feeling and chalks this project up to being yet another example of inadequate representation of POC voices in cinema. ⁠
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With its aesthetic and writing, Antlers feels a lot like Mama. If you’re a fan of del Toro, you’ll like this. There is also some gruesome gore that adds a noteworthy touch. But what is disappointing is how much potential this film had to be “great” and we only ended up with “good.” ⁠
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Know Before You Watch: Features animal death, death, blood, discussion of CSA, family violence, drug use. ⁠