There is certainly something splendid somewhere within Maliglutit, the first collaboration between directors Zacharias Kunuk and Natar Ungallaq, unfortunately, it is all but concealed. The distinguished pair have taken on the task of adapting classic material, and despite the endeavour of imbuing the film with idealism and vigour, Maliglutit can never amount to anything significantly engaging unlike its inspiration. Plodding is not a term that should be associated with a revenge fable, yet, the tonal decision for a quieter and slow-burning thriller provides a disadvantage the film can never overcome. Sprinkled throughout, we see glimpses of the film’s potential, yet, they are only brief. And despite the best of intentions, Maliglutit grapples to rise to anything remotely captivating.
Moderately based on John Ford’s 1956 film The Searchers, the film follows Kuanana (Benjamin Kunuk) as he provides for his family living on the Arctic tundra. The hunt for food is a never-ending one, and as Kuanana and his son Siku (Joseph Uttak) go to capture a caribou, their igloo is left vulnerable at the worst conceivable time. Four men are quick to destroy the home before kidnapping Kuanana’s wife and daughter, claiming them as their new wives. And upon the horrific discovery, Kuanana declares immediate vengeance and with only three bullets he begins a quest to take down those responsible by any means necessary.
Frankly, not a lot in Maliglutit works. Despite its roots in genre, the film is devoid of any real enthralment and this stems heavily from the film’s pacing. Intentionally achieved, the film is comprised of a slow-moving nature. Scenes tend to drag longer, the camera lingers excessively and on occasions, character reactions almost appear prolonged. Given the violence of the material, the clear intention seems to be to deliver a sense of nuance to combat a narrative that is bathed in brutality. Although, inherently, the problem is that these strives at complexity play more ponderous than they do intelligent. Meaning, the usage of tone and pace quickly concocts Maliglutit into a tedious experience. On pure terms of fascination, this decision spirals the film into an unequivocal slog. It is all build-up and little payoff, especially when the height of conflict beings and ends within the film’s final moments. The decision to craft the film in this fashion backfires detrimentally.
Maliglutit doesn’t operate on rich character complexes or various subplots, nor does it need to, the narrative’s simplicity doesn’t require it. A man aims to retrieve those kidnapped that he loves, it is just that direct. And it is that straightforward narrative that ultimately makes the pacing decision such a stagnating one. It eliminates the joys that can be had with this kind of story dramatically.
Granted, the film is tremendously composed across a variety of factors. With facets including the costuming, minimalistic score and usage of cold exteriors all lending to a more than apt sense of competency. Yet, it goes without question, that the incontrovertible star of the film is its cinematography. Jonathan Frantz deftly summates the film’s environment with an endless array of dazzling imagery that cleverly evokes both the harsh colds and hauntingly beautiful nature of the landscape. A clever differentiation Maliglutit has compared to its seminal inspiration The Searchers, is the alteration in setting from western territory to icy terrain. The use of an Arctic wasteland is illuminated to exemplify the rough conditions that be emblematic to our hero’s plight. Moreover, the manner to which the cinematography is able to convey this is done exquisitely. When the film is focused on the state of its visceral factors, it is constructed with suitably sharp conviction.
Which ultimately makes for disappointment, as even with all the ideals Maliglutit wishes to amass, the film can never escape the degrees of enervation that permeates throughout. With a glaring lack of tenacity, Maliglutit loses sight of what it is attempting to accomplish, and the pensively elongated pacing does little to form a winsome substitute. On one hand, the film commits a near masterclass in how to achieve a gorgeous-looking film, however, the forging of characters and story falls on the wayside. The film inherently struggles at maintaining this balancing act and the focus is quick to become the victim. Essentially, despite Maliglutit being a film that is easily admirable, when its issues becomes the nucleus the result is inexcusably drab.
Review Score: TWO STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Maliglutit will have its Australian premiere at the 2017 Sydney Film Festival, it screens on the 8th and 18th of June. For tickets and more details head HERE.
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