Review: ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’
Jim Cummings’ ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ is a well-crafted sly, thrilling and surprisingly emotional ode to fatherhood, community and genre filmmaking.
There has been no shortage of subversive horror films lately. From Coralie Fageat’s take on the rape revenge subgenre with her 2016 festival hit ‘Revenge’ to Jay Baruchel’s scathing love letter to the genre with this year’s ‘Random Acts of Violence’, many filmmakers have been deconstructing many elements of the horror genre and putting them back together in fresh and inventive ways. Writer and director Jim Cummings, known for his 2018 critical hit ‘Thunder Road’, attempts to put his own spin on the werewolf movie and the result is a sly, witty, thrilling and surprisingly emotional ode to fatherhood, community and genre filmmaking.
‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ centers on Officer John Marshall (Cummings), a local police officer who resides in a small town called Snow Hollow. Struggling to raise a teenage daughter, concerned about his aging father and surrounded by an incompetent task-force, John is at his wits’ end when we first encounter him, his perfectly coiffed hair a stark contrast to his frayed, anxious state of mind. If that weren’t enough, a string of seemingly unsolvable vicious murders happening all over town threaten to send him over the edge, the lack of clues and evidence frustrating him to no end.
The central mystery at the heart of ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ is an intriguing one. Cummings throws enough breadcrumbs around to lead viewers on several wild goose chases before pulling the rug from under them with a surprising third act reveal that not many would have seen coming. It’s a shame that it ends up being resolved way too quickly, with the film suddenly segueing into an awkward (if sweet) ending after a thrilling final showdown that ends up going completely unaddressed by any of the film’s main characters.
‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ is also unexpectedly profound, with Cummings addressing toxic masculinity, emotional trauma, systemic abuse and the dangers of conspiracy theories (Facebook even gets a shout-out) in a much more nuanced manner than one would expect from a horror-comedy. John’s character arc also ends on a very poignant note, with Cummings charting his emotional journey from a tightly-wound man with a chip on his shoulder to a content, loving father in a refined and subtle manner. Not much is said about his childhood but Cummings drops enough hints through pointed lines of dialogue that allow viewers to come to their own conclusions about his turbulent relationship with his mother.
Cummings is very much a character actor stuck in a leading man’s body; with his all-American good looks and strapping build, he would not look out of place in a Marvel movie or a romantic comedy. Cummings, however, has decided to play by his own rules, capturing the industry’s attention with series of incredible critically-acclaimed performances in lowkey indie fare. ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ is no exception. His performance in the film is layered and complex, his character putting on an aura of exaggerated machismo and aggressiveness that slowly starts to peel away as the film progresses, revealing a shell of a broken man struggling to keep his head above water, too proud to cry out for help.
Elsewhere, screen legend Robert Forster is sublime in his final on-screen performance, delivering a soulful portrayal of a good man desperate to save his community. As John’s sweet co-worker Julia, ‘Knives Out’ star Riki Lindhome is the heart and soul of the film, acting as its anchor and moral compass. She tackles her role with a natural authenticity that will undoubtedly resonate with viewers and tug on their heart strings. The rest of the cast is an absolute joy to watch, their on-screen presence and interactions bringing some much-needed brevity and lightheartedness to the film’s dark proceedings. The citizens of Snow Hollow are an interesting bunch and a film or TV series centering around their misadventures would be a delight.
Cummings could have very well played it safe and directed another drama off the back of the positive reception that ‘Thunder Road’ was met with. Instead, he took a major risk diving into genre filmmaking with ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ and it more than pays off, cementing his status as one of the most exciting and unpredictable filmmakers working today.
Much like its director, ‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ plays by its own rules – wild, untamed and surprisingly touching, you’ll never know where it decides to go next. And that’s the beauty of it.
Rating: 4/5
‘The Wolf of Snow Hollow’ will be released in theaters and VOD on Friday, October 9.