'The Wolf of Snow Hollow' is a mix of crime and horror with comedy peppered throughout. The film tells the story of officer John Marshall, a policeman in the small mountain town of Snow Hollow and follows his journey of a serial murder investigation.
The opening of the film sets out the tone of the film, as we follow a couple vacationing in the small town, only for the girl to be murdered by an unseen assailant. Following that, we cut to an AA meeting, and we are introduced to John as he describes his struggle with alcohol and anger management. As he is informed of the crime and arrives at the scene, we are introduced to the sheriff, John's father, Sheriff Hadley and officer Julia Robson. After examining the scene and assessing the situation, some policeman jokingly speculate that an animal or beast-like man had committed the crime. An investigation follows until a number of similar murders occur in a short span of time, and John begins to unravel due to a lack of progress on his behalf and a deteriorating relationship in his family.
The tone of the film is closely tied to the state of mind of the main character. Initially, he is presented as an individual coping with addiction, attending meetings and openly discussing his issues. Things take a turn for the worst after the initial murder, as he had not come across anything similar in his past. Additionally, he feels pressure from his fathers side, as his health is deteriorating, yet Sheriff Hadley refuses to be sidelined from his work. The string of murders that follow, and John being unable to solve the crime allows us to witness his descent into relapse and a mental breakdown. As the investigation is not leading to any suspects and more murders occur, John experiences mounting pressure and succumbs to his worst instincts, drinking heavily and lashing out at his co-workers. The incident that breaks John occurs on a night when his daughter is attacked and his father passes away that same night. Unable to cope, he drinks constantly and suffers a complete mental breakdown. The investigation had concluded when a man is found having overdosed on drugs, appearing to meet the criteria of the assailant, putting the towns police department to shame and much to John's chagrin. However, as John is returning collected evidence, he comes across a taxidermist, who John determines to be the actual murderer. After that revelation, the film concludes on John sending his daughter to college and hinting at the signs that John is on the road to recovery, both in his fight against alcoholism and rage issues, and also in building a relationship with his daughter, Jenna.
The beauty of the film lies in its somewhat erratic main character. John's personality is reflected in the pacing of the film, - as he investigates the numerous crime scenes and the pressure is mounting, the film uses quick cuts, interspersing the investigation with scenes of the victims funerals and scenes of John lashing out at the people closest to him. The film visualises the sensation of going though a breakdown, successfully incorporating the sense of tension that John feels and the chaotic way in which he perceives his life due to the failure to find the murderer.
'The Wolf of Snow Hollow' is not all tension and horror however, as the film excellently incorporates moments of levity throughout its runtime, ranging from moments of social awkwardness, derived largely from Johns detachment to reality at times, to a few slapstick moments that are seamlessly added to accentuate the ridiculousness of some of the scenes without feeling forced or over the top.
Even although the film is centred around John as he copes with resolving his issues, the movie manages to incorporate ancillary elements that probe deeper into the examination of Johns actions and the repercussions that can be felt from that. After Jenna is attacked, the character delivers a tirade directed at John that highlights her disappointment and anger towards him. The scene is concise and sharp at conveying the magnitude of sorrow that can be felt by a someone that is subject to watching their loved one implode due to alcohol abuse, especially a child.
Additionally, the film takes a few moments through its runtime to pay attention to instances where officer Robson is met with difficulty as a female officer. The scenes are peppered throughout the runtime of the film and range from a rude confrontation to an inadvertently hilarious comment about women and oppression through to the modern era. The scenes are not accentuated as such, but after viewing the entire film they add up to illustrating the struggle women can face.
The writer and director of the film, Jim Cummings portrays officer John Marshall. As the creator of the film , it is evident Cummings had a very clear vision of who John is. The characters traits and mental state reverberate throughout the film and we get to experience the full spectrum of his emotions. Cummings has created both a great film and character in depicting what a breakdown can feel like.
Riki Lindhome portrays officer Julia Robson and delivers a capable and competent character. Robson is shown to be able to take charge of a situation and exhibits the traits necessary for a good police officer. The conclusion of Robson being promoted to the sheriff's position does not come as much of a surprise, as Lindhome presented a character that can be relied on with a calm and inquisitive nature.
'The Wolf of Snow Hollow' is a deep-dive into the exploration of an individual struggling in his personal life in an outlandish and fantastical scenario. However, the film does not feel too removed from reality not to be plausible, presenting characters that reflect a range of relatable real-life attitudes and struggles. The film is a memorable and worth-wile watch, if not for the scares and laughs, then for the inspiring message of being able to start again, even after you've hit rock bottom.
Score: 3/4
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