The Reel Review
A woman mourning the recent death of her husband encounters a psychotic serial killer during a road trip through the Pacific Northwest, in this American remake of the 2011 Swedish horror/thriller Försvunnen.
There have been MANY movies like this but what makes Alone so unique is the gritty, this-could-really-happen aspect of the story, a taut, well done production, and committed lead performances by Jules Willcox (Netflix’s Bloodline) and Marc Menchaca (Ozark, HBO’s The Outsider). The minimalist story is laser focused on the action. And perhaps most refreshingly, Alone lacks the torture porn exploitation found in so many of these, woman-fleeing-a-psycho-in-the-wilderness thrillers.
Willcox’s heroine proves to be a pretty crafty badass, matching wits with her would-be killer as she fights to survive in the wilderness. There is a bit of corny dialogue and a couple of questionable plot twists in the big finale. But the inclusion of Anthony Heald (Silence of the Lambs) as the film’s third character cleverly adds another psychological layer to the grim, desperate story. Director John Hyams and his cast and crew have assembled an intense thriller of which they should be very proud.
REEL FACTS
• Jules Willcox broke her foot while shooting one of the first action scenes of Alone. She finished the filming wearing a boot/cast and with the help of her stunt double. Willcox had to shoot some scenes months later, when her foot was healed.
• Beard check! Marc Menchaca played the role of Russ Langmore (Ruth’s uncle) in Ozark.
• Alone was filmed in Oregon.
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