Fantastic Fest XX Review: COYOTES Has Both Bark and Bite
I don’t have children. Never will. But that doesn’t stop me asking myself the question, “What would be the perfect gateway horror film for a kid?” A film that’s not too scary, keeps the gore at a respectable level, and offers no nudity whatsoever. Well, ladies and gents, I present to you director Colin Minihan’s (Grave Encounters) latest effort, Coyotes.
A film about killer coyotes can go one of two ways – it can be a fun, small-town monster movie like Tremors, or it can be Sharknado or one of its many questionable (and by “questionable” I man awful) sequels. Thankfully, Coyoteshas both feet planted firmly in the former. Minihan’s trick is to keep things very simple. He gives us a cast of colorful characters, a handful of interesting locations and, of course, the killer coyotes. That’s about it.
A more scholarly writer may say the film is “poignant” or “relevant” because it incorporates California wildfires and, admittedly, Coyotesdoes have something to say about man’s relationship to nature, and more specifically, animals. But I feel it’s not explored enough. It’s more of a light discussion point than an actual theme, because while Minihan is pointing a finger and yelling “Eh? Eh?” at us, he doesn’t really have a lot to say on the subject – “Man messes with nature and that’s bad” seems to be his basic message.
But you don’t need deeper meaning when you have a film this good on your hands. Newsflash, I loved Coyotes. Justin Long (Barbarian) and Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns) is masterful casting. The real-life husband and wife bring such a wonderful chemistry, and, when needed, can really inject the familial tension. Mila Harris (No Exit) plays their equally enjoyable sassy-but-endearing daughter, Chloe.
The family plays things relatively straight. A welcome moment of levity here and there. It’s the side-characters – a cocaine snorting maniac who loves his dog, and a rather nonchalant prostitute – that bring the big laughs. But while the film may be marketed as a horror comedy, please be aware that this isn’t Shaun of the Dead or Ready or Not. The laughs are present, but Coyotes puts the horror first. At its core, Coyotesis a home invasion film, of sorts. This isn’t a Jurassic World type scenario where wild dogs roam the streets of the west coast. Far from. The coyotes in question are very limited in their geography. They’re either around the family’s house or inside the family’s house. And that’s a smart move. The characters feel very much trapped with the titular canines. There are very few chances to escape. If you allow it to be, Coyotes can be quite terrifying.
t helps that the coyotes are presented mostly practically. They’re there in person and they look good. Snarling, drooling maws ready to chomp down on any stray limb.
But I did use the word “mostly.” Here comes the hard part to talk about. While Coyotes’ special effects are really quite impeccable, there are some very obvious usages of AI for closeups. I may be proved wrong eventually, but the AI-like “sheen” on some of the coyote shots is egregious. Would CGI have looked better? Doubtful. So, are they justified? Perhaps. But the AI argument is for another time. Though the AI is there – and it’s not always pretty – it is very forgivable as, despite that sheen, it looks quite acceptable. At times, much better than acceptable.
So why is Coyotes great for pre-teens? Because it’s not trying to impress through anything other than its filmmaking. By that, I mean it’s not throwing excessive nudity or ultra-gore at us, which seems to be a bit of a trend these days (a trend I’m a fan of).
No, Coyotes is a great film without audience-wining gimmicks. Of course, there is violence. Coyotes kill using their teeth and claws. It ain’t going to be pretty. But it’s never excessive. It’s sensible violence, if you will. The devilish canines cleverly stalk their prey, lurking in the shadows looking for an opportunity to strike. At times, Coyotes feels like a hybrid of The Strangers and Critters.
The film’s greatest strength is that it’s never boring. The character building is delightful, there are no long winded exposition dumps, and the pace the build-up is fairly rapid. Part of the reason I think Coyotes would be good for teens is because I felt like a teen when watching. It was nice to find a film I didn’t want to deconstruct and pick apart. I let it wash over me and had a grand ol’ time. In this era of “elevated horror,” a nice old fashioned “animal attack” film is so refreshing. I found Coyotes to be more enjoyable than the universally praised Dangerous Animals. And I love a shark flick.
Coyotes is ultimately elevated by its various components: a razor-sharp script, great animal handling, and strong performances from all involved. It has scares, violence, laughs, and solid dramatic beats.
Hopefully, Long and Bosworth being front and center will attract audiences, since I think this one might be easily dismissed. But it shouldn’t be. It’s a riot from start to finish and, when all is said and done, a very well-made horror film.
Coyotes sank its fangs into me, and I’m going to be howling about this one for the rest of the year.
Coyotes geys a theatrical release date (in the US) on October 3rd.
