Spoor (2017) New York Film Festival 2017

I saw SPOOR in connection with Fantasia about 8 weeks ago. It was a film that really liked for its first two thirds, but which kind of slid off the table in the final third as it had to both come to a conclusion and make a point. The result was a film that ultimately disappointed. Here is a repost of my brief Fantasia review.

Environmentalist living alone in the woods ends up in the middle of a series of murders when the local bigwigs and hunters begin to die and the evidence seems to point to animals tuning against mankind.

Beautiful to look at film plays for much of it's running time as an ethereal mystery with the sense that anything can happen. While clearly an art film, it manages to get its hooks into genre lovers with a genuine sense that anything can happen.

Unfortunately there is a point somewhere along the way where the deliberate pacing and the shift to the film making a forceful point about the environment and animal rights (not to mention a reveal thats WTF) has the film go off the road like several of the cars in the film. While the accident isn't a total wreck the film is still off the road and it never manages to get back in time to have a satisfying finish.

Not a bad film but more a good one that disappoints. Worth a look for animal rights people and those who just want to see great images.

SPOOR plays at the NYFF on Friday and Saturday. For tickets and more information go here.