Live Action Role Playing (LARPing) is essentially what nerds do when they want to play the epic fantasy video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in real life instead of on a gaming console. And thus these fantasy aficionados construct costumes and weapons using household items and whatever can be found at the Dollar Tree, and then engage in combat with each other using their own definitions of wounded or dead. That is the very, very basic explanation of LARPing, which is also the main theme in Alexandre Franchi’s 2009 drama/horror film, The Wild Hunt.
Erik Magnusson (Ricky Mabe) and Evelyn (Tiio Horn) are struggling with their relationship due to the burden brought on by Erik’s ill father. Evelyn finds escape in a massive LARPing group isolated in the middle of the woods. Erik arrives at the LARPing game in order to mend their broken relationship and to bring Evelyn back home. But as Erik quickly finds out, this group of LARPers takes their craft very seriously, and they do not take lightly to interruption. Luckily, he has the help of his brother (Mark A. Krupa), a “referee” (Claudia Jurt), and a small group of willing players to navigate the rough terrain of medieval war, LARPing rules, and angry geeks.
To approach this film from a critical standpoint, it is important to divide the elements into two separate categories: Creative Elements (acting, story, design, etc.) and Technical Elements (editing, cinematography, etc.). The reason for looking at The Wild Hunt in this way is because the level of quality of one category is inversely related to the other category. In other words: one sucks and the other does not suck.
The Creative Elements are well done for a film of this budget (C$500,000). All actors brilliantly perform their roles as young adults playing medieval fantasy, and they evidentially have fun doing so. There are instances in which you forget you’re watching adults in costume and feel like you’re watching young children play make-believe. When the plot calls for comedy, the actors exhibit a good understanding of comic timing and delivery. As for drama or horror, each actor does a believable job expressing fear, stress, anger, and grief. The bonfire sequence at the conclusion of the second act is brilliant, as it shows the transformation the characters go through despite being absolutely soaked in symbolism.
The set for the LARP festival is constructed well, as if built by actual festival organizers instead of a low-budget film crew. Costumes are well designed and fitting for each character; the costume design does a good job in making believable medieval gear while keeping in mind the amateurism and budget constraints in real-life LARPing construction.
The script and story begins with a bit of a stumble, but quickly dusts itself off and builds to a thrilling ending. We are introduced into the LARP culture without being confused as to how things work and why these people take these things seriously. It is crucial that we see the passion these individuals have for this pastime, or else we will not understand most of the reactions that occur towards the film’s climax and third act.
The major problems with The Wild Hunt lie within the Technical Elements of the film. The editing is standard, uninspired, and lazy. Transitions are non-existent, confusing the audience as the whether or not we’re still in the same scene or even in the same location. A choppy training montage occurs at the beginning of the second act that is horribly unneeded and unnecessary. Cutaways lack purpose and disrupt the flow of the sequences they reside in—so much so that one thinks “…was that really necessary”. Blocking and character position is difficult to perceive, as the final cut lacks establishing shots (assuming that establishing shots were indeed filmed).
The cinematography is definitely the weakest point of The Wild Hunt. The quality of the composition is like that of a student film. Lighting is almost purely environmental (sun, moon) or is only there so we can see the characters faces, and thus has neither style nor inspiration behind it. Twilight scenes are painful to watch as the entire frame is washed over with a sickly grayish-blue hue preset that makes the image difficult to interpret. The composition has absolutely zero depth to it, making the images flat and difficult to process. The film appears as if it was filmed on a consumer camcorder rather than a professional camera.
However, despite all the elements mentioned above, there is one very important aspect that must be considered: the genre. The Wild Hunt is advertised as a drama/horror film, suggesting it mashes dramatic elements with scares. The drama genre is very obvious in this film, as the plot operates on character decisions, struggles, and emotions. At times, we feel frustrated with the characters and we feel angry at the characters. We feel bummed when things don’t work out as planned and we feel happy when things go pleasantly well. However, the horror genre is entirely nonexistent, as the audience receives no feeling of terror or fear unless it is because a character may get hurt. The third act’s attempt at being a horror film plays out more as a drama film with all cylinders running. In short, The Wild Hunt is a drama film, but it does not deserve the title as a horror film.
The Wild Hunt is a film that is for a certain audience. LARPers may find the film relatable and entertaining, while the standard audience would only be entertained by angry nerds being angry nerds. While it does has several redeeming factors, the shortcomings are numerous and distracting. Just don’t expect to get any scares from this, and you might be amused by it.
Consensus: The Wild Hunt seeps with creativity and fun, but is harmed by its technical incompetence. 6/10
Mixed Bag Reviews 