Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Wild Hunt DVD

DVD Review by Kam Williams

Headline: DVD Features Real Fighting at Medieval Reenactment

Erik (Ricky Mabe) and Evelyn (Kaniehtiio Horn) are a Quebec couple in crisis. She’s become so bored with her boyfriend that she’s decided to participate in a weekend-long, medieval-themed masquerade being staged somewhere in the forest outside of Montreal. Erik is busy caring for his aging father who is slowly slipping away into senility.
His behavior strikes a sharp contrast with that of his emotionally-detached brother, Bjorn (Mark Antony Krupa), who is in denial about their dad’s deteriorating health. So, Bjorn escapes the dire situation by dressing-up like a Viking to accompany Evelyn to the role-play reenactment.
This development doesn’t sit well with Erik, since he thinks that such fanciful recreations are for geeks who need to get a life. He broods about his predicament after being left behind, until he’s finally upset enough to make his way to the gathering to retrieve Evelyn.
However, upon his arrival, he is met by gatekeepers who insist that he adopt appropriate “decorum,” meaning he must don a period costume and stay in character to search the grounds for his girlfriend. Not surprisingly, it doesn’t take Erik long to break the rules, given that he has little respect for the group of pompous posers.
He feels that they take the game way too seriously, as they speak in stilted Old English accents saying things like “I implore you!” and “’Tis I, Hammer of Thor!” Such silly folderol proves increasingly upsetting to Erik who just wants to find Evelyn and leave, ASAP. But this is easier said than done since lovely Princess Evelynia’s been kidnapped by Shaman (Trevor Hayes), King of the Celts.
For Evelyn is ambivalent when confronted by exasperated Erik about where her loyalty lies, and the goings-on take a gruesome turn as the faux fighting morphs into actual violence. A psychological thriller highlighting how hell hath no fury like a frustrated knight in shining armor.

Very Good (3 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 86 minutes
Distributor: MPI Home Video
DVD Extras: “Festival Events” featurette, storyboards, “The Making of” documentary, and the theatrical trailer.

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