Black Mountain Side

The Thing—an Arctic sci-fi thriller made three times (1951, 1982, and 2011)—is the obvious inspiration for Nick Szostakiwskyj's tale of a scientific expedition in northern Canada that discovers the tip of a massive stone monument that appears to bear Mesoamerican markings. Archeologist Piers Olsen (Michael Dickson), who is flown in to investigate, argues that this is impossible, but the team led by Myles Jensen (Shane Twerdun) disagrees, although the dispute quickly takes a backseat to strange goings-on at the outpost. A pet cat is sacrificed by someone at the monument, and the native workers leave in the dead of night despite the fact that they are unlikely to survive the trek back to their village in subzero temperatures. Cut off from civilization after the radio conks out, the staff members begin to show signs of paranoia and even possession, hearing strange voices urging them to violent acts. Is this hallucination, or the power of an ancient god? Some also fall victim to diseases possibly caused by bacteria that has been frozen for thousands of years. Black Mountain Side sports an intriguing premise, but is hobbled by a modest budget—the few effects are fairly primitive—and frequently amateurish performances. On the other hand, Szostakiwskyj exhibits considerable skill in building an unsettling mood, which for some will compensate for the silly ending. A strong optional purchase. (F. Swietek)