Review: Flee the Light

Text © Robert Barry Francos / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Flee the Light
Directed by Alexandra Senza
Mythic Trips Entertainment; Wazabi Films; Breaking Glass Pictures
81 minutes, 2021 / 2022
https://www.mythictrips.com/
www.breakingglasspictures.com

Perhaps, hopefully someday soon, there will come a time when having a woman director with a largely female cast and crew will not be something special to be applauded, but for now, it is still noteworthy. And yes, many times there is a completely different feel to a film – a sense of purpose and urgency, and often with a larger meaning – when a woman is at the helm. And that she is Canadian is the icing on the cake. For this release, the first-time feature director is Alexandra Senza, and the writer is also the head of Wazabi Films, Jennifer Mancini.

 Filmed mostly in North Bay, Ontario, which is 3.5 hours north of Toronto in a beautifully forested area and relatively not too far off the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1), we are introduced – post-prologue – to two sisters: there is sensible Andra (Annie Tuma) – whose name, a derivative of Andrew, means “warrior” – and troubled Delfi (Ariana Marquis) – whose name is an alternative spelling for where the mystic lived in Greek mythology.

Annie Tuma, Ariana Marquis

Action-wise, one would think that Delfi would be the focus of the film, but instead, it relies more on Andra as the gatekeeper for whatever is coming down the path. This is telegraphed a bit by an unseen psychic on a phone. The first act sets up the relationship between the college-age women and indicates some of the troubles Delfi is having (the one with her hair, that’s seen in the trailer, is brilliant). There is something chasing after her – or them – from the past. This leads to a (brief, thankfully) road trip to where they went to camp together, yes, in North Bay (which is name dropped in the film).

 While there, they both start seeing things, like Delfi sees a (beautiful) dog that I believe is a Husky/wolf mix, and Andra runs across an older woman, Kata (Canadian singer Jane Siberry) with mystical powers, who pops in and out. And what is the mysterious force that is after the sisters? Interestingly, Delfi’s eccentricities (for lack of a better word), has actually given her the means to protect herself against the demon or Kundalini, or whatever it is, better than Andra, for whom this is out of her ken.

 It's nice to see a possession film that is not the usual Catholic/The Exorcist (1973) type of well-worn motif, though I have been informed recently that exorcism actually dates back to Old Testament times and with Jews, but it has been relatively recently conscripted by the Catholic church and thereby become one of our cultural icons. Exorcisms have also been prominent in places like Haiti and parts of Central Africa. One thing that exorcisms have in common, in the real world, is that they often lead to the death of the person “possessed.” But I digress…

 Thrown into the story is some reincarnation concerning a guy name Sid (Jamar Adams Thompson), whose role reminds me of a younger version of the Scatman Carothers-Dick Hallorann part in The Shining (1980), who comes to the rescue after a bonding experience with one of the sisters.

Jane Siberry

I really enjoyed that this film totally avoids the “most women good / most men bad” formula, or as I call it, the Thelma and Louise (1991) Syndrome. That’s too Second Wave Feminism for my tastes (think Andrea Dworkin [d. 2005]), and is totally overdone and obvious in the cinema world. Though I may get some blowback for this previous comment; present-day Feminism makes much more sense to me.

 While dealing with covens and witches, the film thankfully avoids any The Craft (1996) types of tropes, or that witches are evil, such as in Suspiria (1977/2018) and still manages to be a modern story while talking about an ancient evil. That’s a nice touch that kept my interest.

 The evil, whatever it is, is the darkness though it “hunts” in the light, hence the title, seducing the possibly host with its glow, but honestly, the dark/light is more metaphorical for malevolence and goodness, than the literal sense. Again, this is a wise choice.

Generally, the acting, especially by the two leads, is excellent. This is enhanced by the make-up SFX by Rhonda Costin, Bill Buttery’s cinematography, and really fine editing by Brigitte Rabazo. There is some luscious drone work high over the woods of North Bay, a beautiful part of the country.

 This is a strong directorial debut for Senza, and if the indications for a possible sequel are correctly foretold, I look forward to it.

Available on iTunes/AppleTV, Amazon, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, and on cable and satellite.

IMBD Listing HERE