Quickcard Review The Wild Hunt

Directed by: Alexandre Franchi Cast: Mark A. Krupa, Tilo Horn, Ricky Mabe Running Time: 1 hr 35 min Rating: unrated

COMPLETE COVERAGE – 33rd Portland International Film Festival

PLOT: A live action role-playing event goes out of whack after being infiltrated by Erik, a guy looking for his girlfriend.  His entrance leads to a series of events that send the game spiraling down an unexpected and dangerous track.

WHO'S IT FOR? You don't have to know anything about role playing to enjoy this film.  I don't and I still found it fascinating.

OVERALL

It's not often that I see something new in a movie, plot wise.  Though the idea of adults medieval role playing isn't new to film, Role Models dealt with it in a comedic way, Franchi explores the emotional side.  Like a movie about actors acting, the characters in The Wild Hunt all play two roles; they each play a person and their role playing persona.  Erik (Mabe) doesn't have a persona, he's come to talk to his girlfriend, Lyn (Horn), who left on bad terms.  His brother, Bjorn (Krupa) is fully immersed in the game and wants him to join, but he's determined to find Lyn and go. However, he has to sort of play along in order to find Lyn and speak to her within the game, since she can't break character.  It's tough to figure out what's going on in Lyn's head, Horn does a better job or playing her alter ego, Princess Evlynia, than Lyn.  She seems to enjoy being the subject of two men's affections, until things get real.

There's a strong pull between what's "real" and what's fake.  Although these characters are acting out their roles, they're also feeling.  The role players don't have a script, they play their characters in what they determine to be a naturalistic manner given the circumstances of each situation.  When things first start to go awry, it happens innocuously, with hurt feelings and people being assholes.  But as tempers flare, events start going off the rails.  I can't say that I believed everything, there were a few moments that strained credibility.  But I let it slide because the filmmakers really go for it and open an interesting door, how real is real?  When you're in character, what responsibility do you have for your character's actions, and when should you take it personally?

This film really drew me in.  It's different, but in a good way.

FINAL SCORE: 7/10