Hold The Dark Review: 4 Ups & 3 Downs

1. A Slow-Burn Mystery Turns Into A Senseless Gorefest

Though Alexander Skarsgard's introduction as soldier and father Vernon Sloane showed his cold, murderous approach and added to the madness already portrayed by his wife, the movie took way more time showing him kill various randos than actually exploring the mysteries it set up in the first half.

Disappointing, considering how the effective and gripping atmosphere of the film seemed to take a back seat as soon as he began his quest for revenge, with Julian Black Antelope's Cheeon "buying him time" with... more murder.

Even though the first kills are shocking and visceral, by the end there's very little tension involved in whether or not Vernon is going to kill someone. Because his choice of who to kill came down to "everyone annoyed him or who might get in his way, maybe", treating death like an action hero would treat a punch to the face, the murders showed themselves to be as senseless as Vernon's entire revenge arc by the end.

Though the action itself was as cold and calculated as the one inflicting it, the body count became less horrifying and more trite as it rose, dramatic tension sucked away by Vernon's lack of discernment.

And now on to the positives...