Austin Film Festival Movie Review: ‘The Fetch’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Logan Donovan as Nicholas in J.C. Doler’s THE FETCH. (Photo Courtesy of Story Engine Productions.)

Caution: This article contains discussions of self-harm and suicide, which may be triggering to some individuals.
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One particular topic that is being broached often in popular media, is the power of grief. Simply because after decades of bad advice revolving around how we should best handle grief, we’ve come to understand that advice has no substance. Because people cannot just power through grief or ‘get over it’ in a matter of minutes. Because it is a nuanced experience that takes us on a range of emotions. To the point where we are fine one day and broken the next. Which means that in reality… grief requires great care, great support and an understanding that the healing process from it takes an incredible amount of time and work. Because one is healing the very fabric of their soul.

Which is why shows and movies are now presenting that truth in unique ways. Either through season long examinations on the subject or powerful movies that explore specific nuances of it. In fact, this is so widespread now that even the horror genre has made grief a popular monster, and rightfully so. Because it does transform us into people that are unrecognizable at times, and it does make us scary, and it scares us to our core as well. Since it forces us to face our own mortality, and we are seeing a bevy of scary stories now ponder upon this. Some of which don’t quite stick the landing unfortunately, while there are some… that explore its power and our need to address it in a powerful and compelling manner. Such as the one that recently debuted at the Austin Film Festival. A feat that The Fetch accomplishes by well, holding nothing back in its exploration of the power of grief.

Courtesy of a heartbreaking introduction to Charlie and Nicholas, a happy couple that experiences devastating tragedy when an accident near Halloween brings about the end of their son, Jacob. Which is a dark moment that plunges Nicholas into deep depression due to his grief, to the point where he attempts to cause harm to himself by hanging himself in the yard. Thankfully, Charlie saves him and when he returns home from stint in a pair of hospitals to heal his mind and his body, he attempts to pick up the pieces, alone. Minus some visits from a grieving Charlie and his doctor, Beaumont. Which leaves him in a difficult place mentally, simply because it doesn’t take long before he starts to hear and see things in his home, leading him to believe that he is being haunted by an ancient Irish demon known as the Fetch. A being that brings doom and feeds on grief, and now it will be a race against time to confirm its existence and find a way to defeat it, before it consumes Nicholas.

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Aleksa Palladino as Charlie in J.C. Doler’s THE FETCH. (Photo Courtesy of Story Engine Productions.)

Which is a plot that at first glance, appears to be nothing more than standard ghostly fare with grief thrown in for good measure. But make no mistake about it, this is a powerful film about a powerful emotion and as good horror does, it uses the monster to serve as the allegory for its central theme. Which allows for this film to display and explore grief in a stunningly detailed manner. Since we see its power on display, we feel its creeping nature lurking about the shadows and we too, feel the fear that it sends our way and the power it has over us through Nicholas’ journey. Which is a brilliant stroke of storytelling from Director and Co-Writer J.C. Doler. Because he truly gives us a tangible and real understanding of grief in this story, one that is refreshing and bold and helps us to understand its dangers, and how to overcome it.
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Yet make no mistake about it, what J.C. has assembled here, is a horror film, and that too is put on display here in an epic manner. Courtesy of some gothic horror elements, and some amazing scare techniques. Since at times, less is more comes into play and that allows for a sour and unsettling vibe to come forth. Not to mention, the effects done here are practical and they’re so sublime you get lost in the moment, and the isolated setting only adds to the terror. But truly, the centerpiece is the horror of grief on display in this tale, for it truly is a sight to behold. To the point where it is safe to say, that this may be the most visceral and raw showcasing of grief ever captured in horror., and that leads… to a scary, unsettling film.

One that outright makes your skin crawl and leaves you with a grand understanding of a matter that ironically, has lurked in the shadows for far too long. For we do fear grief, and we do see it as a monster, and that makes for a brilliant story in the end. One whose purposeful ugliness is driven by some amazing acting as well. For Logan Donovan is simply electric as Nicholas and sells the pain with a realism that wounds us, and Aleksa Palladino is equally as moving as Charlie, since she sells the struggle of dealing with life as we grieve, and Robert Longstreet truly grounds them both as Beaumont, and all of these elements bring about, a magnificent horror feature. One that stays with you long after its ended. Since it reminds us, that there will come a day where we too… shall see our Fetch, and we must be ready to face it.

To watch ‘The Fetch’ please visit the Austin Film Festival website. Stay tuned for more coverage from this film, courtesy of our interview with Stars Logan Donovan and Aleksa Palladino, and Director/Co-Writer J.C Doler.

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