Druid Peak (2014)

Let's be realistic.

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

"Druid Peak" beautifully captures the struggle of a teenage boy and his way back to life through a connection with nature. Owen's continuous poor decisions in life and high school finally catch up with him and he must now live with the guilt of a best friend's death. At her wit's end, Owen's mother ships him off to live with his estranged father in Yellowstone National Park. Owen and his father connect in a very subtle way, but it is Owen's intrinsic ability to connect with nature that eventually allows him to grow.The cinematography alone makes this film worth watching, but the heart of the story is so meaningful and rich that the backdrop just augments the film. Relationships are difficult to portray, especially of a teen and a parent, but "Druid Peak" skillfully and delicately shows us all the elements necessary to do so. With this film, less is definitely more as we learn more from the reactions from the characters and the carefully selected dialogue that is used. This film pulls you in, finding a way to give you empathy for both Owen and his father. The emotional power of both these characters is intensely wonderful; especially as we see such realistic changes in each of them.The characters are complex, yet real. The writing is succinct and the actors' ability to convey the story, not only with words, but with their actions and expressions is absolutely stunning. Spencer Treat Clark who plays Owen embodies his character perfectly. It's obvious that the director and actors synced harmoniously to give us this remarkable film."Druid Peak" is simply beautiful on all levels: it's a compelling and realistic story which is enhanced by stellar cinematography. On the surface, it's a story about a troubled teen, but there are so many layers that it becomes much more than that. It is a story about life.

When Wildlife causes Evolution. Review of Druid Peak. In my Blog: http://librosyadolescentes.blogspot.com.es/... Sorry for my English.When in Gladiator (2000) by Ridley Scott, Maximus (Russell Crowe) returns to Rome for the first time, Lucio Vero (Spencer Treat Clark), the young nephew of Caesar, comes to visit him. Lucio, twelve or thirteen, is attracted to the cages where the fearsome gladiators are exposed to the Roman populace like a Zoo. Slowly, through the bars, he discovers the gaze of Gladiator observing him as an imprisoned animal; when their eyes meet, Lucio and Maximum enter into dialog without a word; when he discovers in the darkness to Russell Crowe, young Spencer Treat Clark do not see a man or a soldier humiliated; he discovers a lion. A caged lion full of hatred and thirst for revenge for the death of his family . That contact with the small Lucio begins to work the transformation of Gladiator, turning again in person.It seems that the New York actor who has participated to the orders of Clint Eastwood in Mystic River (2003) or M. Night Shyamalan in Unbreakable (2000) knows how to tame the beasts. In Druid Peaks, his latest film, still brand new in theaters, Spencer Treat Clark will have to face with wolves in Yellowstone. His character Owen, a troubled teen, silently watches the animals. He does not need the words to speak with them; He examines and listens them and, best of all, it is that wolves understand and respond to him... without words.Last November, I was in the Teatre Principal of Palma de Mallorca to the European premiere of Druid Peaks by the New York director, Marni Zelnick, thanks to EVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL. The Evolution and Sandra Seeling, its director, deserve a separate article. The film debut Zelnick, surprising maturity of their approaches, is about Owen, a rebellious misfit teenager, who abruptly leaves his village to go live with his father (Andrew Wilson) biologist and head of packs of wolves within the Natural Park of Yellowstone. There his contact with wolves and, above all, the discovery of his father works a transformation in his perception of world around him and his person.Make no mistake: Druid Peaks is not the typical environmental film, with good wolves and dumb kids; The movie does not make explicit and Manichean discourse, where stuffed wolves saves the blonde girl with blue eyes. Not so. You have to read Jack London to understand it. Druid Peaks, is about deeper issues such as maturity, family, fear and forgiveness. We must thank Zelcnik that the film does not give recipes or prefabricated solutions, leaving the spectator to appreciate the work or not. It is precisely for this reason that the transformation of teenage protagonist is credible, real. I do not remember another current movie where such a positive and credible evolution of a troubled teen operated. I come to mind Captains Courageous (1937) by Victor Fleming with Spencer Tracy to find a similar atmosphere.Certainly, maybe some will accuse Zelcnick her story could be told in much less time than the nearly two-hour; they can also say that Druid Peaks is more like a documentary about the natural park of Yellowstone (celebrated in Spain by the Yogi Bear), and pack of wolves. However, it is difficult to understand the plot, the evolution of the protagonist, if not enjoy the landscapes, flowers and, above all, if we do not take enough time to see how the wolves act. At a time of the screening, the public of Evolution trembled and a sigh toured the stalls and the boxes in the Teatre Principal when one of the wolves appeared suffering. It is possible that ahead an audience flooded with images, who has lost sensitivity to human suffering, Zelnick get right with her vision and she teaches us to discover the sacrifice and redemption of man by animals and wildlife.As I said earlier, Spencer Clark performs a risky soliloquy looking wolves alone, for much of the film. This continuous loneliness that might have burdened the film, contrary, strengthens it. Spencer is alone in many scenes with only the company of wolves. Surely, it was not easy for someone who is used to roll with actors like Sean Penn, Kevin Bacon or the aforementioned Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix. As he himself explained, "Wildlife is the best actor that exists." His look and his figure are sufficient to fill the screen ... and if you ask some collaborators girls who attended him in Evolution.I do not know what the future holds for an independent film as Druid Peaks, in a film industry that collects frivolous and blockbuster titles. But I think who ever have to deal with adolescence, as parents, educators, or as teenagers find in the work of Marni Zelcnik a light, a guide to the value of Wildlife to the transformation of man. Mandatory for teachers.Druid Peak, Evolution, Mallorca International Film Festival

This is a must see film. A fantastic coming of age story set in Yellowstone National Park. The reintroduced wolf packs are a back story in the film, so if you love wolves you have to see it! Druid Peak was filmed in Wyoming and Utah. The cinematography is amazing. The director was able to use amazing natural light to back light many scenes. I kept thinking the crew must have had to be up early to shoot some of the scenes where the light is coming through the forest.Andrew Wilson underplayed his character so well, it made me rethink all the talking we do as parents. The director's pacing of the scenes was amazing I loved when the camera lingered on a shot for a long time in order to increase the tenderness of the scene. Something that has gone by the wayside in modern movie making.If you love wolves, love the outdoors, and love independent films this is a must see movie! I highly recommend Druid Peak.

I cried during this more than I've cried during a movie in a long time. And I cry a lot during movies. Honestly, even watching the trailer again just now I cried. This film is about a kid who's having a rough time and goes to live with his estranged father who monitors wolf packs in Wyoming, and then finds himself while learning about and tracking these wolves. Not only is this film totally beautiful to watch because of the landscape and wildlife, but it's also an intensely heartfelt and touching story. I think there's just something about seeing someone who is hurting so much and having such a hard time with life find something that fills their heart and brings them a sense of purpose. Spencer, the lead actor, was AMAZING and gave an absolutely masterful performance in this film. Watch out for him. I can't believe he's not being cast in every movie right now. If this doesn't get a theatrical release, I'm going to lose all faith in the film industry.