It Begins and Ends with You – “Pyewacket” Movie Review

The fact that, with the help of a budget in a micro scale, he can conjure up a good film, Canadian Adam Macdonald has already proved a very solid On the trail from 2014. There, in the wilderness, a hungry Grizzly hunted a couple of unaware tourists. There is no bear in Pyewacket . There is a forest for it. And something much more sinister.

For teenage Leah Reyes, puberty is an extremely difficult period. Not only has the heroine recently lost her father, but with each passing day she learns more and more that her mother is unable to cope with the trauma. Two completely different temperaments under one roof are reason enough to expect regular storms, but when the inevitable decision to move finally comes and the prospect of cutting herself off from everything she has known so far, Leah can’t stand it. It only takes one more argument to get it right in the middle of the forest, with the intention of making use of its somewhat disturbing interests. And she found that sometimes you really need to be careful what you ask for… because you can be heard.

But that was already… but so what?

The Pyewacket, who plays with the already known patterns of occult horror films, does not sin with the originality of the script, but while in most similar films it could be a big disadvantage, it is not a bad thing here. First of all, because Macdonald, aware of his limited resources, is well aware that the secondary theme can only be sold to the viewer with the help of a well-built feeling of being trapped and uncertain, gradually increasing the tension. I have to admit that in Pyewacket he does it ahead of time – the initial teen drama slowly hits darker and darker tones, to finally treat us with racial horror, with the scene resembling the Blair Witch Project vividly at the forefront .

The story in Pyewacket is also not unnecessarily complicated to surprise the viewer at every turn. Instead, Macdonald focuses on a clear and clear message – do not wish the other one what you do not like. And it is extremely precise in making us aware of its value, not giving the viewer even a few moments of respite during a barely ninety-minute session. Both the heroes and us are constantly aware that something bad is in the air and just waiting for the right moment to manifest. The awareness of the inevitable tires both the viewer and the screen participants of the drama, which we can see more and more in their worried faces as we tick off the next points on the plot path.

Dark everywhere, gloomy everywhere

Christian Bielz also cares for a suitably gloomy atmosphere, who treats us with wide frames, devoid of colors. There are moments in Pyewacket where, after the scene is over, the camera stays there for a while longer and allows us to look more closely at the scenery. This is a clever procedure that sometimes Macdonald decides to play cat and mouse with us, placing in the background some element that, when noticed, even intensifies the terror. The picture’s build-up of tension is therefore rather subtle here, and is not based on predictable jumpscares. Actors also play subtly – next to the biggest name in the cast, known for example from the screening of Silent Hill or the series The Walking Dead,Laurie Holden (in the successful role of a neurotic mother), shines above all the young Nicole Muñoz as Leah. Her role is, moreover, the key to the success of the entire undertaking, without which proper interpretation, instead of anxiety, we would feel rather irritated by the actions of the heroine.

Because the idea is the most important

Pyewacket is therefore one of those independent films that, with a well-thought-out realization and an idea for themselves, can give a nose job to relatives with larger budgets. So if we do not expect a large amount of action, and instead of exceeding the safe dose of CGI density per square meter, we value the atmosphere more, we can devote an hour and a half of our lives to this little horror without regret.