Popcorn Previews: Fessenden's "Last Winter" is All Play and No Work.

The Last Winter
Directed By Larry Fessenden
IFC Films

This supernatural story centers around the human race's footprint on planet Earth and the soon-to-occur consequences. Mankind, or especially the U.S.A., is seeking to gain energy independence by sending a team of environmentalists into the Northern Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to determine if the area is prepared for oil drilling. Hitting a little close to home, isn't it? Well has Fessenden prepared a worthy cause and effect for you? You be the judge.

The above trailer leads you to believe many different things, which I will warn you, do not appear whatsoever in the film itself. And I doubt it was because of heavy cuts in the editing room. Its a disjointed attempt at a slanted message not striking its audience like a frying pan to the cranium, but more like a wave of chlorofluorocarbon-filled hairspray resting into someone's scalp; we know its up there but it isn't bothering us.

The latest X-Files movie is coming out this summer, so I didn't feel the need for this picture to provide a reminiscent prelude to one of my favorite television shows. And I doubt a basic audience was looking for a revision of The Shining packed with up-to-date events and controversies and Kubrickian dehumanization.

I'd like to pull out my "Ron Perlman Saved This Picture" card, but even he couldn't. I'll be saved by him in Hellboy 2: The Golden Army later this summer. James LeGros added a sincere, quasi-innocent approach to the mix A fresh cameo from the stiff-boarded Kevin Corrigan made the film bearable. I loved him from Grounded For Life, but I'll be the best to admit his performances are generated from the cookie-cutter. He's got that one performance down pat, and its provided him with steady work as of late.

This film suffered the same fate as Fessenden's Wendigo, which attempt to mix science, folklore legend and the supernatural all into one creature or situation. His message comes off as "Hey audience, you're ruining my planet. So stop or my creature will drive you crazy." I recommend driving past this exit on the movie rental superhighway. There's a smarter, more clever and certainly more polite way of getting your message to your audience - Fessenden just hasn't learned it yet.

I give this film a slate for the beautiful desolate scenics and the endless supply of white-covered helicopter shots. And an extra half-slate for the ethereal and haunting music.