Everwinter Night (2023; directed by Adam Newman and written by Newman and Chris Goodwin) was not the film I expected. At all. The blurb in the listing on Tubi made it sound like your typical "women go on vacation and are preyed upon by a serial killer" type of movie, so I started it because I figured it was the perfect film to have on while I multi-tasked. After all, the formulaic slasher films only require about 10 minutes total of your attention and the rest is filler, right? But after about 10 minutes I found myself putting my iPad down and giving the film my whole attention. Not that it's a great work of art or anything. But it's different. A little quirky and off-beat while still being familiar. It was engaging.
I have to confess to being a sucker for slow-burn horror, and this is definitely one of those films that takes its time getting to the scary bits. Along the way, though, the film is just plain creepy...not in a supernatural way, but in a way that was all too real. But let me explain.
First, the film started out in 1994 with a classic horror trope; a couple lost in the country (and also in a snow storm) and they stop at this inn to use the restroom and ask directions and something very creepy is going on. You don't know what, and the opening scene ends leaving you going "what the hell"? It seemed formulaic, but the way it ties back in to the main story took me by surprise...and served as some great foreshadowing! But I digress...cut to the present day, and Victoria (our heroine) is waiting in a diner to meet her friend Maddy for a weekend getaway that Victoria (or V, as Maddy calls her) is quite looking forward to. However, Maddy had previously made plans with two other annoying friends, Becca and Fiona, who not only are spoiling V's expectations for the getaway but also are enamored of two incredibly smarmy, slick rich guys they just met who invite all of them to a private getaway at their lodge. They cancel their original plans and V is talked in to going with them to the rich guys' shindig. There they meet more smarmy, slick rich guys and some catty women. Maddy falls for the head smarmy guy, and he seems to fall for her. All this smarminess is not an act; these guys over time become something truly sinister but not in the way you expect. I won't spoil anymore except to say that the creepiness of these men just gets worse and worse, and the only person who seems to have any clue there's something really wrong here is V (our heroine).
It's V, played by Victoria Mirrer, that really makes the film work. You really empathize with her, both in terms of her frustration at her expectations being dashed by her friend but also because no one else seems to see that these guys are really, really creepy. Kudos also to Chris Goodwin who plays Erik, the chief creepster that Maddy falls for. He exudes a charming smarminess that is only achieved by top-notch used car salesman.
Anyway, I don't want to spoil the film for any of you who want to watch it but let's just say that, while it's not unpredictable, the reveal of what's really going on is nicely done and there's a nice tie in to the opening bit. The film is just over the top enough to work without being farcical, and by not taking itself too seriously it works where a more serious tone would have failed. There's some really hilarious scenes, too...like when a bitchy rich wife convinces Fiona to read a poem she wrote about her smarmy crush to the whole group (starts out cringe and goes in a completely unexpected direction!). I won't say anymore, it'll spoil the fun.
I enjoyed this film a lot more than I expected; I think it's destined for cult status. If you like off-beat horror films give this one a look. I don't think you'll be disappointed!
Recommend.
5/21/2024
I searched for it on Tubi and nothing came up.
I'll check it out...