Review by Hunter Miele
Set in Montana during the winter of 1870, “Organ Trail” follows a nomadic family as they traverse the- you guessed it- Oregon Trail via covered wagon. Let’s be honest- the film’s title implies a silly, over-the-top slasher film that will leave you laughing and cringing simultaneously, but in reality that’s far from accurate. “Organ Trail”, written by Meg Turner and directed by Michael Patrick Jann, is as suspenseful as it is brutal and will immediately have you rooting for the good guys and despising the evil ones with fervor.
“Organ Trail” opens with shots of a desolate, Montana landscape, shrouded in snow. A man trudges through a lantern-lit yard at night time complete with a stationary covered wagon and dwindling fire. Soft, eerie string music plays as he gathers his family together and they pack their wagon in hopes of safely leaving the treacherous mountain where they currently live. The mother recites a haunting prayer for faith that the family will survive the journey and we’re immediately left with an uneasy feeling that things will likely not go as planned for them.
After setting up camp for the night, Abraham and his son Tobias, the men of the family, leave to go hunting. While tracking a deer, Tobias stumbles upon a camp that has been ravaged by bandits. Arrows litter the camp and multiple, bloodied bodies lay piled in a heap. Abraham finds Tobias and together they discover a woman (Olivia Grace Applegate) with arrows piercing her hands and pinning her to a tree, crucifixion-style. Together they mend the woman’s wounds and bring her back to their camp.
That night, while the family and the mysterious woman lay asleep in their tent, voices are heard outside by Abby (Zoe De Grand Maison), the teenager daughter of the family. A group of bandits brutally eviscerates everyone in their sleep except for Abby and the mystery woman. Abby and the woman, who we later learn is called Cassidy, sneak out of the tent only to be immediately met by the bloodthirsty cowboys. Cassidy begs them to spare Abby, and we now know exactly who was responsible for the carnage at Cassidy’s camp.
The bandits kidnap Cassidy and Abby and most of the remainder of the film follows their attempt at freedom. Along the way, many new characters are introduced, all with vivid personas and detailed backstories. Each member of the group of murderous cowboys are uniquely evil and are responsible for some outrageous, violent deaths. After a harrowing escape, Abby, along with a humble rancher that saved her mid-escape (Cle Bennett), attempt to return to the cowboy’s camp to rescue their stolen horses, Abby’s horse being the only family that she has left. Abby’s character is easy to sympathize with, as well as Cassidy’s, although she’s done some pretty horrendous things in order to stay alive. The film ends with not one, but two absolutely epic fights that will literally leave you on the edge of your seat. “Organ Trail’s” title is truly deceptive, because rather than a corny slasher, we’re given an extravagant thriller with outstanding acting performances.
In Theaters Now & On Digital 5/12
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