[FrightFest 2026] FILM REVIEW: Ithaqua

Ithaqua - FrightFest World Premiere Review

Director: Casey Walker

Starring: Luke Hemsworth, Kevin Durand, Michael Pitt, Leenah Robinson, Aaron Poole

Written by: Casey Walker

Produced by: Andrew Bronfman, Jason Ross Jalet, Peter Scott Vicaire, Csey Walker

Cinematography by: Bryn McCashin

Original Score by: Blitz/Berlin

Synopsis:

During the decline of the fur trade, a mercenary struggles to unite the survivors of a famine-stricken outpost plagued by a dark force that leaves its victims with an insatiable hunger.

Thoughts:

If you're looking for a bleak, atmospheric, period horror survival film set in snow covered Canadian forest then boy do I have a film for you. Loosely based on the Cthulhu Mythos story created by August Derleth in the 1930s (itself based on the indigenous mythology of the Wendigo) 'Ithaqua' is slowly paced and drags on a bit but the finale is brutal.

Luke Hemsworth plays Cole, a rugged American mercenary charged with the difficult task of finding and providing meat for the people left behind at Fort Thomas, a fur trade outpost. Michael Pitt plays McKellar, an unsavoury businessman who seems to be in charge and Kevin Durand is Walker, the hulking English soldier who has been molded into McKellar's sidekick. Cole forms a small group who set off into the grim and unrelenting woods. With the burdening knowledge that the indigenous tribes have almost all but disappeared, the group endeavour to make their way through the harsh wintery conditions to find food and fur but all they come across is the site of a massacre. Helpless and hopeless, the group return to camp but things are not what they seem.

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The film really excels in its visuals. Bryn McCashin is painting a picture here and the gloomy, cold imagery partnered with the exceptionally merciless performances from the main cast do most of the work. Casey Walker manages to capture the desperation of the situation perfectly and the severity is palpable. There's a real sense that every single one of these characters could die based on the conditions alone.

This is Hammer Films return to monster movies and it doesn't sit on par with some of their best work but it's still a fun enough ride. Although the first half of the film is quite drawn out and honestly not super interesting, the second half turns everything up a few notches as the real threat enters the fray. Hendry, a companion of Walker, is the first to show signs of "something" and it's quite the sequence when he turns feral. At this point we're still left wondering what exactly we are watching. Those familiar with the original story will obviously have an idea. People are turning into zombie-like, blood sucking creatures who can literally survive without heads.

The action sequences are impressive. There's plenty of blood and gore and a few scenes that are kinda tough to watch. There's a genuine attempt to create empathy for Cole as he has shunned his dark past and is now married to a Native American woman. He's a man who clearly wants a quiet life but is also searching for a heroic moment that will banish any evil things he may have committed. Hemsworth is respectable in the lead role but both Pitt and Durand are hamming it up as much as they can. Their accents are hilarious at times, wavering in and out which initially is distracting and hard to accept but by the half way mark you just forget that it's them.

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'Ithaqua' takes a while to get going but stick with it and you won't be disappointed. It's got some really memorable scenes (the dinner table sequence is shocking) with some incredibly horrific action moments and a surprising ending. A solid survival horror film.

Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

-Gavin Logan

'Ithaqua' received its World Premiere at FrightFest '26 on August 29th