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Blood in the Snow Film Festival 2018: “Hammer of the Gods” (2018) ★★

© A Farewell To Kings Entertainment Company

Our days always different; and if someone who wants to repeat the same result from yesterday, they’re doomed to fail. This becomes obvious after watching “Hammer of the Gods” written and directed by Nick Szostakiwskyj. It may have nothing from God or Gods, but it certainly has a hammer that is quite well capable of kill everything it finds on its way, no matter where that way will take its victim.

I really wished that I loved Nick Szostakiwskyj’s feature movie more than I did. But I am afraid it made little sense, if it did make any at all. I understand that’s not everything we see in the movies, but especially when offered in a horror genre, it should be real. That element of reality missing is not something what we want, right? However, its premise, or at least a part of it needs to be compelling enough so that if you’re a horror genre lover, you could enjoy everything else. This did not happen in the beginning, nor when you reach the middle of the film. And by the time when you’re all the way at the end, you will feel like – okay, what’s next?

“Hammer of the Gods” follows a rock group that are almost forgotten. Now after half a decade of the release of their mostly remembered single, Backfire, Erick is ready to give it a second chance, hoping to repeat the same path they went through years ago to regain the same fame. But what soon will be proved is that they were better off staying at home in their cozy beds, as what the British Columbia’s wild has to offer is not that friendly, is the least I can say.

Well, Mitchell Hoffman, the band’s singer and bass player, Erick Mitchell, and Olivia Greenwood are getting ready for their five-day canoe trip in the wild. On their way, they find in April a huge fan who accepts Mitch’s offer to join them. He asks her, “Are you sure to join us? We have drugs. Are you okay with drugs, like ACID?” Her answer was so ridiculously dull, I hardly could believe my ears, “Oh, yeah, for use. I am certain, I can handle that.” The drug here plays a crucial role, as after taking it they all begin hearing some strange noises. First, they all thought it was just an effect of the strange drug they took, but soon it appears that it was not.

The most real and truly funny scene of the entire movie was when April was already in canoe anticipating the most unforgettable trip and her friend asks her, “Please, don’t die.” April’s response was kind of expected, “I won’t,” she replies back not knowing what will happen to her will make it impossible to keep her promise she has given to her friend for the very last time. That, I guess, is the only scene which can be highlighted out of everything else you might see, which is worth it, but not in a good way.

In the end, “Hammer of the Gods” was more like a comedy with no intention. Right from the start to the end it turns into a painful journey that you will try to justify. That said, if there’s nothing else to watch or you need to take sleeping pills, then Nick Szostakiwskyj’s movie should be the first movie you could consider. It will have no side effects and after you wake up, you will have no memory of watching it at all. Nothing can be better than this, isn’t it?

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