Content
The time period of this film presented a unique challenge. As it is set in a time before language, the movie had to rely on visual images rather than dialogue. The characters do not speak, apart from some grunts and yells, and their emotions and intentions are communicated mostly by facial expressions. It is challenging both for an actor to act in this manner, and for a filmmaker to compose a story. In fact, the whole process is almost like shooting a silent film.
There was some great acting in this film; particularly the emotion conveyed by the hunter. There was also an interesting fight scene once the hunter finally finds his quarry. Though the filmmakers tried to avoid major special effects by using fast cutting in this scene, the editing low lighting made it very difficult to see what was going on or who was winning the fight.
I could not quite tell why the Neanderthals murdered the girl and took the baby – one might assume that it would be the opposite. The summary of the film on the back of its DVD case mentioned they intended the baby to be sacrificed in some sort of religious ritual, but this is not made exactly clear in the movie. The shots of the Neanderthals’ cave are very dark, and apart from one of the characters painting symbols on the cave wall – something that many experts believe was tied in with religious rituals – it is still hard to tell their intention for the baby.
On the other hand, in those days survival was of utmost concern. Early people clung to tightly knit groups and performed whatever bizarre religious rituals night ensure their safety, so it is possible that an audience might pick up on this fact.
Interesting fight scene – avoided a lot of big sfx by using low light and fast cutting. Still a bit hard to tell exactly what was happening
Visual Look
I really loved the costuming, makeup, and locations in this film. The costuming of furs and animal skins looked realistic without being too over-the-top or fake. The makeup effects on the Neanderthals – particularly what looked to be very extensive scarring on the Shaman’s face – was quite impressive and even a little scary, which I’m sure was the point. The remote woods and dark caves used as locations really helped add to the feel – there was not the slightest hint of the modern human touch to these areas, which made it feel very real.
The biggest problem was in the lighting and coloring. The interior cave shots were very low in lighting, and I often found myself squinting just to see what was happening. Some of these scenes took place at night with only firelight, and one obviously assumes that caves have almost zero natural light, there are ways of bringing in enough supplemental light that an audience can see. Firelight makes a lot of nice visual effects, but unless it is a large (and rather unsafe) blaze, it does not provide the amount of light that a filmmaker needs. There are alternatives available; from high-tech flickering lights and fancy gobos, to lower-tech flicker lights, gels, and bounce cards. In a film that requires shooting in a very low-light situation, it would be advisable to experiment with different equipment and processes to find a fire-type effect that can provide enough light and also give a nice look.
