Dir. Adam Newman (2023)
Two best friends go on a vacation together to a lodge where everything is paid for and everything is free. Unfortunately, even the free things have a price.
Cult horror movies are a lot of fun, but they're awfully hard to pull off at an indie level. It doesn't seem like it would be: after all, all you need are relatively believable actors, modest set decoration that serves to fulfill the creepy, culty requirements, and a decent script. Most of the time, however, it feels like at least one of those elements falls short, and you're left with a film that's either unbelievable in its premise or ridiculous in its execution. Thankfully, Everwinter Night, the new film written by Chris Goodwin and Adan Newman (and directed by Newman himself), largely pulls it off, delivering a film that's creepy, solidly plotted, and humorous enough to remain watchable even when the pace drags a little at times.
V (Victoria Mirrer) is on vacation with her lifelong bestie Maddy (McKenna Parsons) when they're interrupted by two of Maddy's other friends that pull them out of their nice, relaxing weekend to take them to a fully-comped luxury getaway. The home, owned by a cult of rich and powerful men who cycle through wives like most of us do underwear, may not have the best of intentions, a fact V suspects from nearly the beginning. As V seeks to rescue Maddy from the clutches of the cult leader Erik (played by writer Goodwin) with the help of property owner Jack (Jamie Dufault), things begin to spiral out of control, and the girls must escape from whatever the group has planned before their evil plans can come to fruition.
Everwinter Night is smart, using pops of humor to endear its audience to V and Jack, and it takes a path to its resolution that is relatively unexpected. The plot is nothing new, though it feels a little ambitious for an indie film. Newman and his cast don't shy away from the challenge, however, and they very nearly knock it out of the park. It's a believable film with an unbelievable premise, and though it is decidedly an indie film, you wouldn't know it from the quality of the acting and the shiny and well-done production values. The script, likewise, is excellent, garnering several legitimate laughs from the clever back-and-forth between V and her charmingly aloof suitor.
The one area that the film struggles with is its pacing, as it feels more of a slow burn than perhaps was necessary. It's got a runtime of nearly two hours, and it feels like it probably could've shaved about twenty minutes off and still maintained its effectiveness. It's also fairly convoluted at times, with a lot of the leadup to the finale serving as a show-off of the cast's acting chops than entirely necessary to the film itself. That said, it is pretty well done and never finds itself wandering into boring territory, maintaining interest despite its plodding (at times) story.
Everwinter Night is a promising indie flick, one that doesn't seek to punch above its weight class but never failing to land the punches it throws. It's well done and very watchable, a movie you could turn on and find yourself drawn into despite your best efforts. If you're a fan of indie horror, it's definitely one that you'll want to seek out. Newman and Goodwin are the stars here, crafting a film that delivers exactly what it promises and then some. The ending of the movie, which is exceptionally jarring in its departure from the tone of the rest of the flick, is fantastic, and it's well worth the wait.
Who this movie is for: Indie horror fans, Cult horror lovers, Sorority sisters
Bottom line: Everwinter Night is a better-than-average indie cult horror movie that feels very well-made and performed. The actors do a fantastic job, the script is (relatively) tight and humorous, and the action, especially near the end of the film, is impressive. It's a good film, one that will hopefully find its audience amongst the horror faithful. You can rent or purchase it now on Amazon, and if you're a fan of indie horror, I definitely recommend checking it out.
