The Wild Hunt (2009)
A MODERN MEDIEVAL SAGA, The Wild Hunt tells the story of Erik Magnusson, a young man who decides to follow his estranged girlfriend Evelyn into a medieval re-enactment game when he discovers that she has been seduced by one of the players. As the down-to-earth Erik treks deeper into the game in search of his love, he inadvertently disrupts the delicate balance of the make believe fantasy-land. Passions are unleashed. Rules are broken. Reality and fantasy collide. The good-hearted game turns into a tragedy of mythic proportion... Capturing the culture of costume play and the potentially dangerous intersection of real and made-up worlds, The Wild Hunt is a timely and potent comment on the consuming nature of adopting another identity, even within a game, and the modern yearning for ritual.
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Strong and Moving!
Memorable, crazy movie
I wanted to but couldn't!
An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
I gave this movie a 8 out of 10 which in my book is a good movie. If this movie were rated along the budget then it would have a gazillion. I am surprised that they could make such a good quality movie for 300,000 CAD. I did not think it was possible.The flaws of this movie is that some of the story line is missing to you. A big budget movie would have flashbacks or some other mechanisms to fill in the blanks. For a low budget movie like this flashbacks or time filling pieces just add to the costs.What I appreciated is its originality of story line. There are definite some surprises along the way where I was thinking, "ok now you surprised me." I also appreciated that this movie is pure Quebec Canadiana, though I wonder what the original language was? I am in Switzerland and I could only listen to the German track.This movie is definitely something for movie buffs as you will appreciate the details and story nuances.
As most Canadian film is recognized as either unduly reflective and sombre or irreverently goofy, it comes as a breath of fresh air to find an offering of local cinema which achieves a tone dabbling in both without overdosing on either. In fact, director Alexandre Franchi's film delights in misleading its audience, opening with a terse, exhilarating Nordic battle only to have it interrupted by a participant whining "Okay, are we done now?", thus exposing the film to be set in the world of LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) - fantasy nerds dressing up in Medieval attire and enacting staged combat. But Franchi's trickery does not stop there, leading with comedic sequences detailing hapless but charming Erik (Ricky Mabe)'s bemused quest to reclaim his fled girlfriend (Kaniehtio Horn, both wryly funny and tragically sombre) from the ranks of the costumed performers, led by Erik's gregarious brother Bjorn (hilarious, show stealing Mark Antony Krupa), only to undercut the seeming frivolity with continual flashes to mystical divine rites and an eerie continuous Norse musical drone, suggesting all is far from fine and dandy. Naturally, things take a turn for the worse in a plot twist reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, but the real surprise is how deeply chilling the film becomes and how quickly, exploring the feral violence allegedly at the core of each person and the worrisome disconnect between fantasy and reality in an isolated microcosm of chaos. Nonetheless, Franchi's film remains ultimately just as fun a watch as an intense, thought- provoking one, neatly intertwining the two excesses of his national cinema into one highly compelling blend. -8/10
OK, there is a little bit of violence, and OK, it may need some serious thinking to understand what is happening. BUT this must easily be the best thought-of plot, the most realistic romantic story, and a great description of human nature with an unbelievable ending. There was comedy, a build up of emotions, acting to be proud of and an explosion of emotion through out the movie. Definitely not for the faint of heart, or those looking to waste a couple of hours of their lives. But more for those looking to see our own humanity, what love would do to us, the abyss of desperation and the true meaning of chivalry.
I had the chance to see The Wild Hunt at TIFF in 2009. It was no surprise to later hear it had won the Best Canadian First Feature Film prize- it was one of the best and most surprising films I saw at the festival.The Wild Hunt's premise is a young man naively entering a live-action role play (LARP) weekend in pursuit of his wayward girlfriend. There's some initial comedy in the fish-out-of-water concept, but real-life LARP aficionados needn't fear ridicule; the comedy is in the clash, not at the expense of players. The film in many ways actually celebrates this type of gaming and in more than a few instances defends it from common taunts.From a simple beginning the story grows to a climax of epic proportions, bringing to mind Shakespearean levels of drama and tragedy. The Wild Hunt is an intelligent and impassioned exploration of fantasy and escapism, desire and obsession. Yet through all of this the film remains grounded in it's characters. One of the great strengths of the film is the realism and complexity at the heart of each role. You won't find any one-dimensional characters here. Instead we have very real people struggling with an escalating series of events, and the games quickly lose their innocence as people lose control.The Wild Hunt is a truly remarkable film. The exploration of a blurring line between fantasy and reality is chilling, the performances are excellent, and from a technical standpoint it's equally well done. This is a film that will stay with you long after you leave the theatre- not only is it engaging to watch, but it leaves you with much to contemplate.