Iceland is the perfect setting for a horror movie. Cold, remote, filled with icy wastelands and treacherous mountains, yet tentatively close to civilization. Why doesn’t it get used more? Is Björk the only thing it’s ever going to produce? Kind of disappointing, not gonna lie.
Rift won’t disappoint however with its dark and gripping tale about two troubled lovers stalked by a strange and mysterious power that won’t seem to let them leave. And their clashing ideas on how a relationship works take a back seat, when something worse than merely their difficult past threatens to haunt them.
Most of the discussion is the strained bond between the fallen outs Gunnar (Stefánsson) and Einar (Óskarsson). Initiated by a bizarre phone call, Gunnar rushes to his ex-partner’s aid, just to discover everything is strangely okay. Is Einar simply acting up to snare Gunnar’s attention or are there larger things afoot?
The visual composition is excellent and technically impressive, laced with scenes of carefully maintained balance, fresh hues and tones, and takes advantage of Icelands natural beauty by capturing anything from Iceland’s wild landscapes to the smallest drop of water, even occasionally utilizing them as elements in the story. (Show-offs.)
While there’s rarely any overt terror or scares, the subtle buildups and the brooding score deliver a genuinely unsettling and creepy environment. Stefánsson and Óskarsson serve a faultless and confident performance, comfortable with their roles as characters struggling to find out who they really are.
The plot is also pretty decent. Gunnar is at a loss how to deal with his beloved or the ghostly supernatural forces that appear to be involved. And it may move at the pace of a stunned hundred-year old turtle at times, but its developments and revelations are nonetheless intriguing and satisfying.
My main complaints would be is single-minded fixation on the singular relationship which is a real limitation, and the production’s distraction with the perfection of its own aesthetics instead of breaking the rules. And what the hell was with the ending? Still, it’s a hearty watch, and certainly recommended if you’re willing to try an indie which knows what it’s doing.
5/10
Possession Media 