Dark Was the Night

*** This review may contain Wendigo spoilers ***

A thing of folklore is unleashed on a small town. 

Jack Heller offers a moody, atmospheric chiller thriller that's well scripted by Tyler Hisel. This part mystery, part American folklore story is reminiscent in tone of Into the Grizzly Maze (2015), 30 Days of Night (2007) and TV's Hannibal series with Darren Morze earthy precision score adding to the uneasy tension. This is not one of those cheesy DTV, Syfy channel flicks.

The acting is first rate and the supporting cast are solid. Kevin Durand gives a strong performance as the small town sheriff, Shields, who has to come to grips with a marital separation and the loss of one of his children. Shields and deputy Donny (Lukas Haas) investigate a spate of disappearances and animal killings which leads him to believe there's something strange going on in the woods nearby. 

With a washed out colour palette and attention to detail, its well directed by Heller. The on location feel and snowy cold backdrop gives it weight thanks to Ryan Samul's cinematography. There's only fleeting glimpses throughout of the original creature design and in true horror tradition the monster is kept in the dark until the end. This coupled with solid naturalist performances deliver a serious creature feature.

Dark was the Night is a recommend slow burner with an ending that beckons a sequel.