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‘Who by Fire’ Review: A Canadian Cabin-in-the-Woods Getaway Goes Strangely and Rivetingly Awry


Middle-aged male egos clash as adolescent urges spiral in 'Who By Fire,' confirming director Philippe Lesage's gift for slow-burn disquiet.

Dramatizing a curious case of cabin fever with keen human observation and patient wrangling of intangible dread, the third narrative feature from Quebecois director Philippe Lesage underlines his ability to carve a semblance of a horror movie from everyday domestic drama — confirming him as a filmmaker of considerable grace and daring. Even when they contrive to release the tension, things go too far: In one remarkable set piece, an actual needle-drop of The B-52s’ infectiously silly novelty record “Rock Lobster” cues a group dance-along that turns practically feral in its thrashing physicality. When the cabin can no longer contain this clash of egos and hormones, the group must quite literally take it outside — cuing a third act of predatory mind games, elemental danger and unexpected loss in the wild that reveals new reaches to Lesage’s already expansively fraught script.

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