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DON’T SAY ITS NAME (2021)

Directed by Rueben Martell.
Written by Rueben Martell, Gerald Wexler.
Starring Sera-Lys McArthur, Madison Walsh, Julian Black Antelope, Samuel Marty, Catherine Gell, Justin Lewis, Sheena Kaine, Carla Fox, Tom Carey, Griffin Powell-Arcand, Val Duncan, Pardeep Singh Sooch, Hannah Duke, Wilma Pelly
Find out more about this film here!!

In the cold tundra of Canada, when a native woman is found dead on the side of the road, a series of mysterious murders begin. The murderer is seemingly a Wheetago, an invisible predator that can only be seen by their victims before they die and gets stronger with every victim. A local sheriff (Madison Walsh) and her deputized friend and ex-soldier (Sera-Lys McArthur) attempt to piece together the mystery incorporating local native legend with their military and police training before more bodies pile up.

So I’ve read and seen quite a few movies about the Wendigo, especially of late with the popularity of ANTLERS. But I’ve never heard of a Wheetago. So right off the bat, I want to give props to this movie for featuring a creature that hasn’t been overused in cinema. In fact, I’m not sure there is any movie that features this legend from Canada’s indigenous population. It just goes to show you that no matter how many horror movies are made, legend and the creative mind can still come up with new ways to scare. While the rules of the Wheetago are played fast and loose, I liked the way the monster manifests itself physically and then disappears into the environment.

But DON’T SAY ITS NAME is not just a simple monster movie. It’s actually quite an intriguing mystery and police procedural that measures the balance between investigative training and inner intuition. Being a native herself, Sheriff Stonechild is familiar with the legend, but she is a professional and sticks to looking to the facts. Newly Deputized Stacey Cole (McArthur) was a military tracker, but again feels that the killer is very reminiscent of old legends. These officers want to rely on their training, but familiarity to their ancestral lore steers them away from it. It’s a wonderful theme to explore as it represents what most indigenous people must feel as they struggle to follow modern mores versus their tradition. That’s a deeper theme than most horror movies and it was appreciated in DON’T SAY ITS NAME by this reviewer. That heft makes the film resonate a lot more than your typical monster in the woods tale.

The creature itself is pretty impressive as the film incorporates CGI and practical effects. Appearing ghostly, then disappearing, the Wheetago leaves pretty gory remains of its victims. It’s not over the top, but bloodier than most creature features.

The acting is top tier and much better than other films of this B-grade level of monster movie. Madison Walsh is personable and no-nonsense as the sheriff, who has responsibilities of her own by taking care of her teenage nephew at home. Sera-Lys McArthur is downright stunning even roughed up and packed in snow gear. She delivers a tough as nails performance as the deputized ex-soldier with scars of her own that she needs to deal with. There’s an attention to character in DON’T SAY ITS NAME that really elevates it.

Things kind of get wobbly towards the end as the Wheetago, which was ethereal and invisible, soon becomes tangible and able to be shot. They attempt to explain it away, but it feels like the rulebook is tossed aside just so the officers can have some kind of chance in the climactic fight. Aside from the wonky ending and the fact that there is some very generic soundtrack music going on throughout the film, DON’T SAY ITS NAME is a top-notch thriller/horror/police procedural that shouldn’t be missed by those who like a little thematic heft with their creature features.

Big thanks to executive producer David Bond for recommending I check this one out. He did it quite a while ago and because of the many requests I have, this one kept on getting shuffled out of the cue. Better late than never, I guess.

Check out the trailer here!!