MOVIE REVIEW - LOOP TRACK - COMIC CRUSADERS

Loop Track is a New Zealand horror/psychological thriller. Now when I think New Zealand intense horror/drama is not the first thing that comes to mind. Mostly it’s horror comedies like Bad Taste, Black Sheep or more generic horror fare like Aberration and The Truth About Demons. Sometimes you get really interesting films like Perfect Creature but Loop Track is very much a thing unto itself and I will admit I loved it.

The main point of Loop Track is that a man named Ian (for reasons unknown) wants to get as far away from people as he can. To this end, he chooses to walk a very strenuous hiking trail during the off season to give himself the best chance of spending several days alone with himself. In spite of his best efforts Ian will encounter a number of other late season hikers along the way and that’s where things get really interesting.

Ian is played to perfection by the film’s writer/director Thomas Sainsbury. Right from the get go you understand that there is something off about Ian. He is not a fit man, certainly not built for long treks through the wilderness, his pack is a mess and nothing about what he is doing seems suitable for the task ahead. But the real red flag is when we see the lengths he will go to, to avoid human contact. This sets up Ian as a character who is pathetically sympathetic but also rather suspicious. What exactly is he running from?

When he can’t avoid extended contact with others Ian is so socially awkward that it is extremely painful to watch. Especially in the presence of the the ever exuberant and boastful Nicky, who is the exact opposite of poor Ian. They group is rounded out by the amiable newlyweds Austin and Monica. But don’t go into this expecting you’ve seen all this before. Nicky, though overbearing, turns out to be a true friend when given the chance. Monica is willing to be very maternal towards the awkward Ian and Austin is well traveled which makes him unflappable but also very chill. Ultimately they all end up caring about Ian and Ian even starts to open up. We get a few hints into his issues, he is burdened with insomnia and considers himself a supreme screw up.

The feeling that Ian is running from something horrible seems to be manifested in a paranoia about the group being pursued by something in the woods that only he ever sees. This sets up a dread amongst the group as you begin to wonder if there is something out there, or is Ian mad? The shots selected keep the viewer guessing. This is further compounded when Ian’s perhaps delusional perceptions start to turn toward Nicky. The script is clever enough to give these suspicions just enough legitimate weight to keep the characters and the audience on edge. The interactions between all the actors are wonderfully portrayed, even the brief inclusion of a couple of other hikers all play out as authentic. The acting in the film is really very good across the board with Sainsbury as the stand out for me.

The cinematography is gorgeous but also appropriately menacing when called for. The deep woods hide much when it’s called for and as someone who spent a great deal of time in the woods as both a Boy Scout and a soldier I could appreciate both the beauty and the strange sort of claustrophobia that can only be achieved by being lost in the woods. The crew really know what they are doing setting this film up visually. But it doesn’t end there. The sound design, with the subtle accompaniment of the film’s score heightens the tension to almost unbearable degrees. Right up until the very end of the film I was wondering where the threat was going to come from. Ian, one of his party or was there actually someone else or something else stalking them?

The movie takes its time, hiking to its ultimate destination instead of racing to it. It’s a slow burn that would make Ti West proud. Everything just builds until you as a viewer can’t help but flinch when the final turn comes. I will say at first I felt that the trailer might have spoiled this excellent film for me but after giving myself a night to digest it I don’t think it did. Given how things play out at the very end I realized I could still come to more than one conclusion for this story.

Loop Track has become one of my favorite movies of 2023. I encourage everyone to check it out. It will not disappoint.

SCORE:
5 out of 5