LITERAL REMAINS

In the Dakota Territories of 1879, Fergus Coffey (Karl Geary), an Irish immigrant, travels to a prairie homestead to propose to the young MaryAnne.  He finds half the family slaughtered, the other half, including his love, abducted.  A posse forms to track them down and to rescue the family.  Leading the rescue party are veteran frontiersmen John Clay (Clancy Brown) and Will Parcher (William Mapother), veterans at fighting hostile Indians; it seems only natural to think that wild Indians committed the crimes.   Their journey leads them into hostile territories, leading to skirmishes with Native Americans and within the group itself.  The rescuers learn that they, themselves, are being hunted, as members of their party disappear in the middle of the night, dragged off into the darkness by unseen enemies.  The truth, they will learn, is far more terrifying than they imagined.

The Burrowers is at times meditative, at times funny, but is always mesmerizing and entertaining.  What writer/director JT Petty and his crew have accomplished is nothing short of a miracle.   The Burrowers is the kind of movie that I’m happy was even made at all.  If you like a good western, watch it.  If you like a good horror movie, watch it.  If you like a good movie, watch it.  My only problem it is the pacing in a few scenes(some areas I feel could have used some tighter editing).  But that doesn’t distract from the fact this is one of the best movies I’ve seen so far this year, hands down.

To see a movie like this, then to see a movie like My Bloody Valentine, and to know that something this good was scuttled straight-to-video while the other, far inferior, movie was given a big time theatrical release and extras loaded DVD…well, it’s a crime.

The Burrowers is an example of how great a horror movie can be.  The story isn’t dumbed down, it doesn’t resort to guts and gore and cheap tricks to make up for its lack of brains.  It’s smart, it’s top quality, and it’s waiting to be unearthed.

4.5 out of 5
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