A teenager runs away and ends up at the cabin of a recluse man who is not what he seems.
Written and directed by Kelsey Taylor, this film is supposed to be a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but that connection is tedious at best. While it may have inspired elements of the film, the story is so very much not it. The story in and of itself isn’t back, but the expectations put forth by connecting it to the classic tale does it a disservice. The writing is a bit rough around the edges, and the direction is not perfect, but overall, there is something here. The film’s message is not quite as expected and what it says about family is almost directly opposite to the fairytale. As it is, the story is mostly interesting with a few scenes that just do not work and characters that could have used a bit more polishing before being brought to the screen.
The cast here does well with the parts given to them, bringing those characters to life in a tragic way that serves the film well. Lead Maddison Brown plays Dani, the teenager who ran away and runs away again as she is living through some things that should not be. The way Brown plays the character, full of inner turmoil over something that isn’t her fault, is beautifully sad. Her performance grounds the entire film and makes it a better film overall. She’s the center and she takes the lead and runs with it. She’s the performance to watch here. Joining her as a solid performance is Ivan Martin as The Woodsman, the man who takes Dani in when she runs away and who tries his best to make sure she is safe. Martin plays that part with subtlety and nuance, giving a gruff exterior some depth. The rest of the cast is decent and perhaps the annoyance at Michael Esper’s performance as Dani uncle is a wanted choice here. His performance is just icky (for lack of a better term) which works well here.
The cinematography by Adam Lee is beautifully melancholic, there is something sad in the images themselves, in how the film is shot. The look of the film, the way the scenes are approached, the establishing shots, all work great. This paired with the editing by Dawson Taylor which gives some scenes more dynamism and others time to breath is fantastic to watch here. The film looks good, sounds good, and has that little extra something that pulls you in when the story itself may have a few difficulties here and there.
To Kill a Wolf is a decent film hidden behind the expectations set by connection it to Little Red Riding Hood. Were it not marketed this way, the story would have landed a lot better. The acting and overall look of the film are strong while a few issues can be found in the writing and direction, but in general, it’s a decent watch once one forgets the fairytale connection.