Directed and written by Nick Szostakiwskyj, Hammer of the Gods is the story of one hit wonder rock band Sled Dog who travels deep into the Canadian wilderness on a spirit journey seeking inspiration for their next hit, except soon finding out that there is something else lurking in the woods.
Horror films set in the wilderness are widely underused. Take the Canadian wilderness. It’s a vast and intriguing location full of natural wonder but ripe for some good scares. Thankfully, the filmmakers of Nick Szostakiwskyj‘s Hammer of the Gods set their story right there, showing off the grand vistas and starting on a big lake that leads our cast on their fateful canoe journey. While horror thriller, this one takes us through an acid trip-esque odyssey with some specific rules set on the first night by this travelling music band’s three members and a groupie they picked up at the beginning of the trip. It’s a promising premise and unique setting. However, in actual execution, this is reason why it starts to show cracks.
One of the main issues with the film is its slow and lengthy first act, getting us to the point the of the story. Once there, ironically enough, there’s a sense that the big reveal comes slightly too early, leading to a grand finale where everything sort of unravels a bit. There is a bit of a Predator feel to the first half of the film, with moments of something lurking in the forest observing and following. Questions surface about whether they are hallucinations from the drugs, an assumption that makes sense, but of course, it’s something more. Unfortunately, after many scenes of this, it feels somewhat disjointed even as it escalates from one to the next. It’s not that all this isn’t done well, because it is. It’s just that is overstays. When the truth comes and the first reveal of sorts is upon us, it becomes this appreciated moment that feels good but also still a little too abrupt, which I know feels counter to my point but the balance is a little off. What happens as it goes to the end does work but eventually, the reveal of what lurks in the trees, and the surprise true intention of this journey (because why wouldn’t it have another layer?), turns into this dramatic point for its band members that feels already too late and inappropriate to be dealing with when survival is the more important part of the equation.
All that aside, what does stand out in Hammer of the Gods is its use of the wilderness. With impactful atmosphere, the cinematography works to great advantage as it really puts us deep into the story. The canoe rides and the conversations all have meaning within the layout of events, even if artificially extended, creating a lot of atmospheric moments that create a decent level of tension. The second half, aside from some dramatic moments that understandably try to give the characters more substance, takes a turn in pace, suddenly propelling us towards its end. There is some good moments, some shocking and some predictable where character make a desperate albeit dumb decision, but Hammer of the Gods just falls short of its potential.
Hammer of the Gods is screening at The Royal Cinema on November 24th at 4:30pm for Blood in the Snow Festival.