Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE CYCLE [Fantastic Fest - Austin, Texas]
The great thing that works is when a horror thriller/genre picture takes itself seriously enough that there is some logic in the context of which the main character is functioning. In this case with “The Cycle”, Deborah Ann Moll plays Meg, a forensic medical scientist. She was abandoned by her father at 3 with her mother unwilling to reveal what might have happened or drove him away. Meg gets a call from a local PD on the coast of Oregon when a dead person who is found alongside a mother and child on train tracks matches the DNA of her father. Meg is reluctant to re-engage but her nature, likely inherent from her father, keeps bringing her back to the case. But her father's corpse doesn’t act like it should with it taking on an almost mummified form. Reluctantly Maks (Jeffrey Donovan), captain of the local PD force, begrudgingly lets her pursue the investigation. Maks' son, also a cop, really seems to appreciate what Meg can do. She sees things that others don't. Moll plays both sides very well. She is trying to keep her emotions at bay but her analytical mind keeps going in overdrive. The film is smart in building itself up without leaning too much into its main crux so when it actually comes to bear, the transformation in a morgue is quite riveting. A kind of beast transformation in this way hasn’t really been done as well since "An American Werewolf in London". The later wide shots are a little less impressive but that initial one really sells the myth.
From there the chaos ensues but the filmmakers maintain the stakes and even jump time a little bit to show the impact on the characters. Again this allows the pain to grow especially once you realize the approach Meg's father was taking with his illness. It creates much more empathy because it has to do with survival and control beyond what can be seen. In that way it parallels "Malignant" because it uses set pieces versus these quiet moments. But it also offers a final placement that goes against the myth. Meg is not about forgiving but understanding which makes the coda hit a lot harder while both opening up the world and closing another door. Even Donovan’s character sees that possibility. Donovan has taken on more introspective characters of late that have been very different from his initial success on "Burn Notice". He is effective but he has more range so even though this is a precise performance you always want more. “The Cycle” works because it is slick, effective and provides a passage of narrative that feels more earned and less created with two main characters who have both strengths and weaknesses without overdramatizing them. But beyond that it has a villain who even though he is not really there provides a context of empathy that really grounds the movie behind its genre/creature underpinnings. 87%/B+
By Tim Wassberg
