‘Dark Harvest’ (2023) Review: Sawtooth Jack Unleashes a New Halloween Classic!
Dark Harvest is a name that should be known to any fan of horror literature. Norman Partridge’s 2006 novel was a refreshing new horror tale that called to mind the works of Stephen King, traditional folktales, and dark horror films such as Pumpkinhead. I have been a fan of the book for several years now, and when the film adaptation was first announced I was at once apprehensive and excited. Was there any way a film adaptation could capture the same melancholic tone and unique story as the book it was based on? After waiting a few years for David Slade’s film adaptation to get released, the answer is, for the most part, a resounding yes.
For those familiar with Partridge’s novel the premise of the film will come as no surprise. On Halloween night of 1963 groups of young men that inhabit an unnamed cursed town are sent out to hunt a being referred to as Sawtooth Jack or, in some cases, the October Boy. A being made of straw and hellfire; Sawtooth Jack is a formidable being created every year by the townsfolk that is hunted by young men each year with the one who finally fells the creature declared the winner. The winner is awarded handsomely, as is their family. The protagonist of the film is Richie Shepard (Casey Likes, The Birch), who is the brother of Jim Shepard (Britain Dalton, Goliath), the winner of the previous year’s tradition. Richie is a young man who would do anything to get out of the town that he feels confined in, which includes being the one to fell the October Boy. However, Richie’s parents will stop at nothing to prevent him from taking place in the deadly game. Eventually breaking free of his parents’ grip, Richie enters the game of cat and mouse and discovers that the tradition might not be all that it seems.
As previously mentioned, I absolutely love Norman Partridge’s Dark Harvest novel and am happy to report that the film is mostly true to the story presented in the book. While the film does change some aspects of the book, which I won’t spoil here, it does keep the melancholic and almost tragic tone intact. However, while the book was relatively subtle the film indulges in more of the over-the-top aspects of the story. This includes copious amounts of bloodshed and creative kills that caused me to wince more than once. Heads will be torn, bodies will be blown to smithereens, and blood will fill the streets of the cursed town. Despite these more bombastic elements, Dark Harvest never strays far from the story it’s telling and everything fits into the narrative quite well. Sawtooth Jack is an exceptional monster with a great design (more on that later), but the true focal point of the film is Richie and his relationship with the townsfolk, his family, and Sawtooth Jack himself. Anyone who has felt like an outcast or as if they are being confined to where they live will be able to relate heavily with Richie’s character and his relationship with his family.
While the story is well written and the character of Richie is well fleshed out and interesting, I do wish more was done with regards to Richie’s relations writing wise. Richie’s parents never feel as fleshed out as they could be and can feel one dimensional or generic at times. The same goes for Richie’s romantic interest Kelly (Emyri Crutchfield, Vacation), who feels like a cookie cutter character made for a coming-of-age film. While these characters are not bad, I do wish we got to see a little bit more of them to flesh out their characters more. Still, everyone in the film does a great job at portraying their characters even when the writing struggles a bit. One standout example of this is Luke Kirby’s excellent portrayal of Officer Jerry Ricks who is one of the most interesting characters in the film. He is a police officer who knows more than he lets on and will stop at nothing to make sure the tradition continues. Officer Ricks is equally as terrifying as Sawtooth Jack and is a scene stealer whenever he comes into view.
An aspect of Dark Harvest that I was surprised by was how excellent the set design and cinematography in the film is. Whether it be a group of kids running through a seemingly never-ending cornfield, or Sawtooth Jack making his way through the town, the film looks incredible. Speaking of Sawtooth Jack, the design of the creature is top-notch. Tall and intimidating, Sawtooth Jack looks ripped straight from a nightmare with his pumpkin shaped head and imposing demeanor. While the character does look different than described in Partridge’s novel, there is a nod towards the end of the film for those that read the novel that I appreciated as well. Without a doubt Sawtooth Jack has the looks to be a new horror icon; a representation of the Halloween spirit in the same way as Pumpkinhead or Sam from Trick ‘r Treat.
I went into Dark Harvest with expectations in check and came out very pleasantly surprised. David Slade managed to pull off what I thought to be nearly impossible: he made a great film that stayed true to its source material while also carving out its own identity. While the writing can be a bit of a hit or miss at times and I wish some characters were more fleshed out, the strengths of the film far outweigh the weaknesses. With an excellent performance from our lead, an incredible monster design, and a melancholic atmosphere, Dark Harvest is sure to be a new Halloween classic. For those wanting something new to watch during the season, look no further. Sawtooth Jack is here to carve out a new face of horror.
Directed by: David Slade
Written by: Michael Gilio, Norman Partridge
Produced by: David Manpearl, Matt Tolmach, Cary Davies
Cinematography by: Larry Smith
Editing by: Art Jones
Music by: Brian Reitzell
Special Effects by: Future Associate
Cast: Casey Likes, Emyri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Alejandro Akara, Ezra Buzzington, Jeremy Davies, Britain Dalton, Luke Kirby
Year: 2023
Country: USA
Language: English
Colour: Colour
Runtime: 1h 33min
Studio: Matt Tolmach Productions, MGM
Distributor: MGM