Co-writer and director Dan Bowhers‘ “Beyond the Drumlins” is a slow burn that never quite catches fire. The film tells the story of an archaeology professor and his team who set out into the woods to study a local phenomenon, only to become entangled in something sinister and supernatural. The premise had tons of potential, but the execution sadly falls flat.
Since this is a movie about archaeologists, and I’m sure you’re wondering (as I certainly was) about what in the heck drumlins are, here’s the definition. Drumlins are oval-shaped hills, largely composed of glacial drift, formed beneath a glacier or ice sheet and aligned in the direction of ice flow. Not that you really need to know any of this to watch or understand the movie, but it may give you a slightly better appreciation for it.
The first act drags painfully, bogged down by long, unengaging dialogue and a lack of compelling action. Much of the film consists of meandering conversations in the woods that fail to build tension or develop characters in a meaningful way. When the plot finally shifts toward its promised descent into madness, the payoff is underwhelming. It becomes an investment that’s simply not worth it.
At least I can respect what was done with what was obviously a miniscule budget, but the storytelling is rough. It’s all the more disappointing because the setup is decent, but the payoff is a bummer. The original score is the best thing about the film as it adds a haunting atmosphere, but I’d classify the rest of the project as unsuccessful.
While the film may have aimed for an atmospheric slow-burn horror, it instead feels tedious and frustratingly uneventful. With stronger writing and a more gripping narrative structure, “Beyond the Drumlins” could have been something memorable. As it stands, it’s a forgettable misfire.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 