Hold the Dark (2018)

Director: Jeremy Saulnier
Stars: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgard, James Badge Dale
Runtime: 125 minutes

Synopsis: A writer is called to hunt down wolves suspected to be responsible for the deaths of the three children in Alaska.

• Performances: 5/10

Why? Too dull. They cruelly lacked the energy the movie desperately needed. I didn't care about any of the characters featured and while it's completely the actors' fault, they still are to blame a little.

• Screenplay: 3/10

Why? Needlessly complicated, filled with boring characters and cheesy dialogue. I couldn't care less about the plot and finishing the film felt more like a chore than anything else.  

• Costumes/Makeup: 9/10

Why? The practical effects used were terrific. The cuts and injuries looked real, and there's quite a lot of them. 

• Editing: 4/10

Why? The movie's pacing was insufferable. And while it's mostly the script's fault, its editing didn't do much to help. A lot of scenes could've been way shorter or removed altogether. I also felt that the way some scenes were cut was questionable.

• Cinematography: 7/10

Why? Yes, the movie looks great and uses the breathtaking Alaskan scenery to its fullest. But, like the rest of the movie, is also pretty dull and I got bored of it halfway through the film.

• Score/Soundtrack: 5/10

Why? Exactly what you'd expect from this kind of movie. It didn't take any risks but did its job pretty well.

FINAL GRADE: 5/10