Having been abandoned by his brother for the world of live action role play, which left him to care for their ailing father by himself, Eriks girlfriend Lyn tells him that shes leaving for a while to participate in the latest game, playing the part of a Viking princess. Frustrated at being left alone, Erik travels to the LARPing (Live Action Role Playing) compound to convince her to return. Immersed in a world whose rules he does not understand, the line between fantasy and reality becomes blurred and events start to escalate out of control.
Much like its more famous pen-and-paper cousin, live action role playing, along with those who participate in it, have often been portrayed as ripe for ridicule nothing more than a pastime for loners and geeks who have limited capacity to function in the real world. Refreshingly, Wild Hunt utterly avoids such lazy stereotyping and refuses to judge the games participants, no matter what reasons they have to want to participate. For that matter, it barely addresses them. Its never made clear how much of the characters behaviour is the result of their in-game personalities and adherence to the revered decorum as opposed to who they are in their everyday lives. Perhaps thats precisely the point, but it makes it a little hard to empathise with people when you have no real understanding of what drives them. A vague motif of wanting to be free is repeated throughout, but never expanded upon.
Likewise, it is equally unclear if the spark that ignites the inflamed tensions is something supernatural in origin (as suggested by a couple of instances of weak foreshadowing), or if it is simply the result of a large group of people in an isolated environment being placed in intense situations where emotions run high.
Mark Krupa, the films writer and co-producer, as well as central character, is principally a nature photographer, and his hand is certainly seen in the presentation of the environment the game takes place in. Deep forests peppered with ruined stone edifices evoke the medieval/fantasy setting required and the beauty with which they are shot contrasts sharply with the colour-drained drab mundanity of the real world. Similarly, the costumes eschew the vibrantly clashing garments often used in such settings and instead opt for more authentic garb. Given the limited budget of the film, such a convincing look and feel are quite a surprise.
In terms of its story, The Wild Hunt attempts to evoke the scale of an epic from Norse mythology, fused with dubiously requited romance and Shakespearian tragedy. It would not be uncharitable to say it falls far short of achieving such admirable goals, as the story doesnt possess enough detail to truly make it stand out as a distinct narrative.
The films title comes from an aspect of legend present in the mythologies of many cultures across Europe and Scandinavia, where spectral figures are seen thundering across the sky in frenzied pursuit of some unseen quarry, possibly never to catch them. Not unlike the film itself and its desire to create something truly original.
Overall Verdict: The Wild Hunt is a beautifully filmed movie with lofty aspirations of storytelling, but is let down by its lack of character development and indistinct motives. Its certainly a long way from being a bad film, but neither is it a great one, lacking the necessary cohesion to truly realise its ambitions.
Special Features:
Behind the Scenes
Image Gallery
Storyboard Gallery
Trailer
Textless Titles
Reviewer: Andrew Marshall