Never Retallack | Entertainment Editor
Thanksgiving — a holiday with an iffy history at best, but an excuse to gorge oneself on all the delicious food one can imagine. It usually includes an immense amount of family time — wanted or not.
Hulu released their latest movie in their horror series, “Into the Dark: Pilgrim” (2019), written and directed by Marcus Dunstan.
This twisted tale introduces the audience to a dysfunctional family: a father who is always on his tablet, a stepmother who is seemingly cold, a daughter who struggles with abandonment issues and a charmingly naive young son.
What could possibly go wrong when the stepmother, Anna, decides to hire a group of pilgrim reenactors to stay with them for Thanksgiving? Cody, the daughter struggling to accept Anna as her stepmom, is immediately hesitant to jump on the bandwagon, and expresses her discomfort.
The arrival of the Pilgrim reenactors is immediately disconcerting. Ethan is the Pilgrim in charge, seemingly cool and collected, while delivering each line with a gentle smile on his face.
The impersonators are unsettling throughout, the female Pilgrims unwavering in their praise of Ethan and how he changed their lives with a sort of reverence that is similar to cult followers.
The movie builds tension, alluding to a sinister side of the Pilgrims’ plans, leaving the audience feeling uncomfortable and on edge for most of the movie.
While I don’t want to spoil the movie for those who have not seen it, I’ll tell you the goal of the Pilgrims in the plot.
Ethan wants the family to appreciate what they have: food, shelter and each other. The means to which he teaches this lesson are unconventional and horrifying.
While this movie was surprisingly dark and twisted, it was equally amusing. Dunstan managed to weave humor into many scenes, whether through utilizing slow-motion fight scenes, or Cody delivering dark jokes, there were numerous times where I caught myself chuckling.
Overall rating: I highly recommend this unique horror-comedy; it is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit — watching a family unite together to fight the evil that hounds them.
The end was not quite a twist, but did leave the audience wondering whether or not this movie was more supernatural than it appeared.
This movie reminds people of what is truly important— appreciating the good things in life and accepting that families aren’t always perfect.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu
