Bearing a strong resemblance to “Quest for Fire,” “The Revenant,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “The Grey,” the first chunk of “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and maybe even a little bit of “The Lion King,” “Alpha” deftly mixes the survival, coming-of-age, and shaggy dog genres to brilliant, mesmerizing effect.
Set 20,000 years ago during the Upper Paleolithic period in what is likely now Europe, “Alpha” is an intense, unflinching film that refuses to dull or soften its edges for the sake of commercial viability. By almost anyone’s definition, it’s an art film but also one completely lacking in pretense or any trace of egghead intellectualism that often turns off mainstream audiences. Far too many movies are crafted (or churned out, if you will) with a specific target demographic in mind with the hope of some spillover. “Alpha” doesn’t have a clear demographic; it can literally be appreciated by anyone.
Rite of Passage
The narrative kicks off with the adult and teen members of a tribe hunting for bison on a vast plain. Leader Tau (Johannes Haukur Johannesson) is also using this excursion as a rite of passage for his elder teen son Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee, “Let Me In”), who is not quite ready to move on to full-fledged manhood. Tentative and lacking a honed killer instinct, Keda winces at the sight of animal slaughter, and it is clear that Tau is going to stick to his tough-love mission to get his son over the hump.All preconceived notions and game plans take a permanent powder when Keda becomes the target of a cornered bison and is tossed off a towering cliff. As he lands about halfway down on a thin shelf, it’s assumed that he’s dead, and a crestfallen Tau reluctantly returns to base camp with the rest of the hunters. This scene is repeated in condensed form at various angles for the remainder of the film.
A Harrowing First Meeting
One of Keda’s first obstacles comes in the form of a pack of hungry wolves that chase him up a tree (a practical carbon copy of a passage in “Quest for Fire”). Just before climbing to safety, Keda severely injures one of the wolves who is also eventually left for dead by his traveling companions. After what appears to be days and under the threat of a band of hyenas, Keda climbs down and carries the wounded animal to safety in a remote cave.The First Solo Feature From Albert Hughes
Penned by first-time screenwriter Daniele Sebastian Wiedenhaupt, “Alpha” was conceived and directed by Albert Hughes. Along with his twin brother, Allen, he created the mid-1990s game changers “Menace II Society” and “Dead Presidents” as well as the highly underrated Jack the Ripper horror and thriller “From Hell.” Though set in different centuries on different continents, these films share unforgiving urban settings where life is fleeting and death is treated as a blasé matter of course.At first blush, “Alpha” is far away from anything Hughes has made before, but it is also unforgiving with danger arriving without notice, only this time taking place in unchartered ancient territory with mankind still in its infancy. As much a thriller as it is survivalist drama and, yes, buddy picture, “Alpha” will keep you riveted and in wrapped amazement every single second of its sturdy and economic 96 minutes. It also delivers an 11th-hour twist that, unless you’re clairvoyant, will overwhelm you in a most positive and upbeat manner.
High-quality and entertaining movies such as “Alpha” don’t come down the pike very often. It tells a story with minimum embellishment and makes the viewer earn its many rewards. While some of it may be too intense for some easily upset preteens (as the PG-13 MPAA rating properly indicates), “Alpha” really is something the whole family can enjoy.
Other Recommended Titles
There are dozens of movies about humans bonding with canines, and while most of them come with the best of intentions, they’re also cloying, often maudlin, and really not worth your time. In addition to “Alpha,” there are a handful of other sleeper titles worth checking out. The tear-jerker “My Dog Skip” (2000), the remake of “Lassie” (2005), the animated “Bolt” (2008), the military-themed “Megan Leavey” (2017), and the sublime, impossible-to-categorize “The Art of Racing in the Rain” (2019) are all winners and highly recommended.Farewell, My Dear Friend
Domesticated animals are much more than “pets.” For those of us who are owned (and, no, that’s not a typo) by our furry companions, they are the equivalent of family. They never judge us and are thrilled beyond repair whenever we are at home and interacting with them. They are indispensable to our psyche and emotional well-being, and when they depart, they take a huge chunk of us with them. If one or more of them possess your heart at the time you read this, let them know how much you love them, whether they’re still physically with you or not.For The Dude: farewell, my most loyal friend and companion.
