As much a haunting rural folk tale as it is a terrifying creature feature, Antlers is the newest and most frightening film by Scott Cooper. His atmospheric direction, production design, and craft, are bolstered by a star-making turn from newcomer Jeremy Thomas and two effective supporting runs by Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons. Antlers excels in its quiet but devastating thrills.

Antlers is the tale of Lucas Weaver, a boy in Oregon with a drug-dealing father and younger brother. Lucas begins to show troubling signs when he submits a provocative horror assignment. His teacher, Julia Meadows, investigates Lucas’ home life and slowly learns the dark secrets within the Weaver household.

While Keri Russell is in the promotional material and gives a good performance, Jeremy Thomas is the real star of Antlers. Even at a young age, Thomas possesses a level of control and discipline that few child actors show, especially in the horror genre. He has a natural gravity and charisma to his performance, making his actions believable and his fear palpable.

Thomas’ talent doesn’t negate the rest of Antlers‘ cast, with Keri Russell and Jesse Plemons each doing well in their roles. It’s not the best work that either has done, especially given the thin characters they have. However, Russell especially elevates the material beyond what’s on the page. Plemons’ lack of screentime and characterization make him a bit harder to gravitate to, but even Plemons at a comfortable level is a performance worth noting.

Cooper’s direction is the primary draw of Antlers. His ability to utilize the unique and haunting atmosphere of rural Oregon is how Antlers delivers its most effective scares. He guides the camera well, thanks in part to the work of cinematographer Florian Hoffmeister who makes every nook and cranny of the wilderness feel filled with hostility. Cooper utilizes jump scares a fair amount and they’re effectively utilized to keep audiences on the edge of their seat.

One technical aspect worth praising (perhaps the most impressive part) is the sound design and score by Javier Navarette. Every piece of wood creaks with age. Every step shifts gravel unnaturally, and the silence speaks volumes. The atmospheric work that Cooper creates is enhanced further by the auditory world created by Antlers‘ sound team, making it among the best sound work of the year.

The screenplay of Antlers, written by Cooper, Nick Antosca, and C. Henry Chaisson, is a sparse but effective horror tale. Based on Antosca’s own short story, Antlers is an adequate mixture of Indigenous-American folklore and metaphor for abuse and poverty. It’s a messy combination that doesn’t quite stick the landing. However, the ambition should be praised, especially as it doesn’t drag the film down.

There is a troubling aspect of Antlers in utilizing an Indigenous-American myth through a white perspective. The screenwriting trio is made up of all white men, while the lead trio is also white as well. It’s not a huge problem from a critical standpoint, as the film is particularly clear about who the villains are and why. Sadly though, there’s a missed opportunity not to include Indigenous voices in a story that could use them.

Antlers is a haunting film, with Cooper delivering reliably strong filmmaking and his cast performing their parts well. While the screenplay leaves a bit to be desired, the film’s strengths more than compensate for such a flaw. The atmosphere, the terrifying creature design, and the brutally frightening atmosphere make this a fun breeze of a horror film to enjoy.

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Antlers

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Haunting atmosphere
• Terrifying gore and creature design
• Exceptional sound design
• Skilled cast
• Scott Cooper's talents as a director

Cons

• Lacking in a gripping story beyond the initial thrills
• Underuse of the mythological inspiration