Predator is one of the greatest sci-fi action films ever. Not many will dispute that one. You have a charismatic group of badasses put in a jungle, who in turn are systematically hunted by an even more badass alien. It’s no wonder that some filmmakers have tried to replicate the success of Predator by copying its formula, with mixed results. With Russell Friedenberg’s Wind Walkers, the formula that made Predator so enjoyable is tweaked a bit, tossing out the alien and putting in aspects of the cult cannibal film Ravenous into the mix, and switching the setting up with the Florida Everglades.
Sean Kotz (Zane Holtz) is home after serving duty in the Middle East, and has been having trouble adjusting to life. That takes a back seat to the annual Everglades hunting trip with his family and friends. However, things aren’t quite right from the time they arrive at their hunting shack, which appears to have been ransacked. Things get even weirder when the group finds a wild pig carcass gutted and strung up from a tree, and a pig’s head left in their shack. Soon, with a hurricane approaching the area, the group is holed up in the shack, and nerves begin to be strained. Turns out that the group is being hunted by something, and that something is connected to what Sean witnessed during his tour.
The idea of having the film in the Florida Everglades is a pretty cool idea, given the environment. It has both an alluring beauty component to it, as well as having that feeling of isolation that definitely harkens back to the jungle in Predator. This sets up some nice areas for exploiting tension within the film. The opening shot of the group paddling down the river was definitely a nice touch. Kudos to Friedenberg for getting in those shots where there’s no sound, save for the wind blowing through the trees. The limited score by Robin Zimmermann also helped at points to keep that creepy vibe going.
Digging deeper, Holtz is okay as the main protagonist, but his wooden performance leaves much to be desired. I understand the whole PTSD aspect of a man on the frontline, and that he’s on meds, but Holtz waltzes through the film with the same expression and comatose delivery, with reactions to certain situation that no one would make, stoned or otherwise. The guy looks and sounds bored (except when the script says otherwise), and it doesn’t do the viewer any favours when we’re supposed to be getting behind him. The other players aren’t much better, turning in okay performances with limited range and overacting. Might I also point out that it’s pretty stupid for you to bring along on a hunting trip someone who has just come back from a traumatic experience like war and hand them a rifle.
Unfortunately, the film’s problems don’t stop there. The screenplay shows some difficulties in editing, namely in flashbacks. The idea of having flashbacks in a film is a good way to get the audience up to speed with info that the writer can’t put into the screenplay in any other way. It makes little sense, however, when these flashbacks could’ve easily been edited into the start of the film, or cut down into smaller chunks to sprinkle throughout. Sure, the opening shot of the group paddling down the river is cool, but saving that just for the sake of the opening credits? It could’ve been just as effective later on. The result is a film that jumps around for no reason other than to give the illusion of progress, when in actuality, much of the flashbacks could’ve been eliminated to progress the film in a more linear fashion, rather than interrupting the film’s flow. The result are holes in the film (such as how Castille Landon’s character managed to get to where the hunting group was without the aid of a canoe or truck), that quickly turn it into a frustrating experience.
This could’ve been a cool twist on the “hunter becoming the hunted” idea, with some great tension, but instead Wind Walkers ends up a mess. Lame acting, with holes in story progression and logic, and elements ripped off from other successful films make this one a chore to watch. It tries to be a more down-to-earth (no pun intended) version of Predator, but quickly becomes a joke. Stick with the Schwarzenegger classic, and leave Wind Walkers to drift.