When the first trailer for Antlers dropped, I felt like I was about to see something special in the horror genre but unfortunately, the film ended up as a disappointment. The movie takes place in Oregon and focuses on a teacher (Keri Russell) and her sheriff brother (Jesse Plemons) who discover that a student is harboring an evil demon in his home. On its own, the premise is intriguing but the film had more than just that going for it.
Antlers boasted a strong cast and an intriguing-looking antagonist, while the trailer promised an unsettling, creepy atmosphere. While the movie, which is adapted from a short story тιтled “The Quiet Boy,” ended up being disappointing, that’s not to say that it was bad. It just ended up feeling like a forgettable horror movie when it actually could’ve been something special.
Why I Was Excited For Antlers In 2021
The Trailer & Premise Looked Promising
Since around the back half of the 2010s, it feels like we’re in something of a horror revival. The genre has seen some great releases like Get Out, Hereditary, Talk to Me, X, Barbarian, and more. Antlers looked like it would be next on the list because it had so much going for it. Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons are two actors who have received widespread acclaim in recent years, while director Scott Cooper’s films have also been well-received.
The trailer was also a highlight as it depicted something pretty terrifying. Keri Russell looked like she was on the verge of becoming a top scream queen, the mood seemed fittingly chilling, and the short story it’s adapted from is fantastic. There was an overwhelming sense of dread and hopelessness when I initially read “The Quiet Boy” and from everything we saw about Antlers leading up to its premiere, it looked like it would deliver on that.
Antlers Failed To Live Up To Its Horror Movie Promise
The Movie Was Ultimately A Letdown
As I said, it’s not that Antlers is at all a bad movie. It’s just one that missed the mark on what it would’ve been. Most reviews were mixed but they all seemed to agree on what worked and what didn’t work in the film. The performances by the talented Russell and Plemons were considered strong suits, as was the sometimes breathtaking cinematography.
The biggest thing holding Antlers back from being something special in the horror genre is that it ended up not being all that scary.
The problems with the movie start with the screenplay as it struggles to balance everything it’s attempting, while Antlers’ ending and final act feel very rushed. However, the biggest thing holding Antlers back from being something special in the horror genre is that it ended up not being all that scary. The wendigo is less frightening than the abusive father we see in the flashbacks and even the best kill scene feels like it’s missing something.
It could be that Scott Cooper hasn’t nailed down what makes a horror movie tick. His well-received prior work was outside of the genre in Black Mᴀss, Hostiles, and Crazy Heart, and his next film is a musical biopic about Bruce Springsteen. If the director gives horror another sH๏τ down the road, maybe it’ll be something scarier. As is, Antlers is simply a good horror movie that could’ve been great.
