by Craters of the Moon is one of those films that has taken me completely by surprise. I’ll admit right away that I didn’t have high hopes for it. Reviews I read indicated it was focused on character growth, and about a stranded couple as they cope with the elements. It’s not something that jumps out at me as a great horror film or even something entertaining to watch. The price was right and I decided to give it a whirl after work. What I got was a terribly uncomfortable movie, but one that I won’t soon forget. It’s tough to watch, but from start to finish Craters of the Moon is well worth the feelings of uneasiness it brings.
From the title I was expecting some sort of science fiction film, but that’s definitely not the case. Craters of the Moon refers to the same named national park in Idaho, and that happens to be the general setting of this film which claims to be based on a true story. The movie begins with a couple driving down the wintery highways of the aforementioned state. They appear to be very much in love, but soon the man in the relationship, Roger, starts insulting his girlfriend Molly and it becomes clear that he’s abusive and she’s too meek to really fight back. The two stop at a rest stop so that she can use the restroom when she is kicked out by some rather sketchy people who appear to be doing drugs inside of it. When she returns to the car Roger can tell something is wrong, and she finally admits she was denied usage of the bathroom so he goes and confronts the fellow. The stranger gets the upper hand and walks away, but Roger sneaks up on him and knocks him clean out. He and Molly make a quick getaway and Molly falls asleep.
She awakens when the car gets stuck in the snow in the middle of the night. The two sleep until the morning and discover their tires buried firmly in the snow. They try to dig the car out, but to no avail. The temperatures outside are freezing and it’s becoming more and more obvious that they are going to be stuck here for a while. Their only food begins to dwindle down, and Roger is constantly verbally attacking Molly. They have moments where they get along, but these are quickly shattered when he constantly digs at her or blames her for the mess that they’re in. The two figure out that they’re fifty or so miles away from any possible help. Their small supply of food begins to dwindle, and they use more gas than they intended in keeping the car warm. Tensions rise, and it soon becomes apparent that Molly isn’t exactly safe stuck in the vehicle with her abusive boyfriend whose taunts slowly begin turning physical as more than just her feelings are about to be hurt.
If you decide to watch this movie (and by all means, I recommend that you do so) just be prepared for one long, drawn out and uncomfortable haul. In the beginning I winced internally whenever Roger would say something completely uncalled for to Molly (this happens frequently) but as things progress I began to feel real fear for the lady. He basically tortures her mentally with garish teasing and bullying while blaming her every chance he gets for their situation. This movie will hurt your soul and leave a lasting impression on anyone who has half a heart. Some of his antics managed to elicit real anger from me such as when he locks Molly out of the car, and taunts her by unlocking it only to lock it again just before she can re-enter. You can feel her internal struggle trying to believe that this is a good man, and so when she finally gives up on that thought later on in the movie, there’s a big sense of relief for the character. Craters of the Moon is an emotionally draining movie, but in the best way possible.
One of the best parts of this movie is the scenery. The cinematography is amazing and does a great job of hitting home the isolation and vastness of the Idaho countryside. Many of the scenes are dark but these actually managed to make me feel cold. It’s very well done, and each of these shots are pretty impressive for such a low budget film. Other scenes are bright and sunny featuring snow covered landscapes and the couple’s bright orange car standing out in it. You also have a lot of desert winter sunsets with pink and orange skies as well. I felt that the scenery and lighting do a wonderful job of inducing either awe or panic with some pretty impressive camera work. The footage is a little grainy and the audio a bit muffled but I think that’s mostly a stylistic choice to make this feel like it takes place in the 70s or 80s. I don’t feel like it does a good job of this, but these issues don’t detract from the film at all.
Craters of the Moon isn’t going to be a film for everyone. Those looking for a horror film with jump scares, monsters, and lots of blood should certainly look elsewhere. I really liked the down to earth approach this one took with its realistic story (that’s supposedly based on true events, but I remain skeptical) and the masterful suspense it generates. It’s hard not to wince every now and then, but watching this one from start to finish is very rewarding. The ending makes the whole journey worth every insult and smack to the face.
Pros
- Beautiful scenery
- Tense
- Fantastic ending
Cons
- Uncomfortable to watch
