The Wicker Tree (2010)

Directed by: Robin Hardy | 96 minutes | horror, mystery, comedy | Actors: Graham McTavish, Jacqueline Leonard, Henry Garrett, Honeysuckle Weeks, Clive Russell, Prue Clarke, Lesley Mackie, David Plimmer, Christopher Lee, Brittania Nicol, Astrid Azurdia, Alessandro Conetta, Keith Easdale, Christopher Fosh, Stuart Glasgow, Scott Hoatson, Jarkko Lehmus, St Clair Leveaux, Ailidh Mackay, James Mapes, Alistair Maxwell, John Paul McGilvray, Keira McMillan, Bill Murdoch, Kirstin Murray, Iain Stuart Robertson, Ben Sullivan, Graham Wadsworth, Terry Wale, Keith Warwick, Mark Williams, Hamish Wilson

‘The Wicker Tree’… a title that will immediately evoke associations with the British horror classic ‘The Wicker Man’ from 1973 and the American remake of the same name from 2006. In this film we get to know the singer Beth and her cowboy friend Steve who leave America for two years to Scotland to convert the population in and around a Scottish village to the faith with country and western songs and religious singing. Not that stranger things have happened in the name of any religion, but for a film with this title it will probably quickly raise eyebrows due to the dubious starting points.

This is reinforced by the further developments that are being reviewed. Beth and Steve get to work and, in addition to the necessary singing and handing out leaflets at meetings, to guide the Scottish villagers who have strayed from the faith and the associated chastity. But soon, in addition to the dubious design, the entire design of this event makes an improbable and above all unbelievable impression. This is reinforced by Steve’s cowboy look and exaggerated American accent and Beth’s apparently dubious past as a sexy and voluptuous pop singer. Not exactly plausible either. And that repeatedly, with Steve as a telling example in the pub explaining the religious meaning of playing cards, also comes across as satirical or humorous. Only then rendered in such a way that it is only unintentionally laughable or cannot be taken seriously in any other way. There are also some concerns with regard to the environment in which things take place. This is not an island that has been more or less isolated for decades, where, as in the films from 1973 and 2006, a pagan faith has been able to anchor itself undisturbed and all the more credibly in the community present on the island, but a fairly random group of Scottish villagers and who, without obvious explanation, form a vague religious society with obscure intentions.

The intentions don’t bode well for Beth and Steve. This gradually becomes clear through the statements and actions of the various characters with whom they come into contact. But during the developments that take place, there is not much to detect of the gradually more unmistakable doom that at the same time remains so unclear and elusive and as it was so subtly designed in ‘The Wicker Man’ from 1973. On the contrary, ‘The Wicker Tree’ drags on for a long time without going in a clear direction. And the few attempts to spice up the atmosphere in the form of some nonsense talking eccentric villagers, a kind of floating camerawork, some distorted images with some scary or at least ominous music don’t help much either. In between, the story drags on with a lot of back and forth, too many irrelevant scenes and uninteresting and unimportant secondary characters, the necessary holes and illogicalities in the story and a lot of unnecessary talk. It will be very difficult to keep your attention.

When the events finally reach their climax, things are again not to be taken too seriously. Starting with the villager who apparently falls away from her pagan faith to the appearance of the ‘wicker tree’ itself, a denouement that also raises questions about the appropriateness of the title of this film. It makes you realize that ‘The Wicker Tree’ takes over some aspects of the aforementioned ‘The Wicker Man’ films, especially in name and some starting points, but otherwise, and certainly not in terms of quality, can in the least measure up, especially the film from 1973.

Little high-quality or uplifting acting, although it must be said that the background of the main characters Beth and Steve already undermines the credibility of their characters or their religious good intentions. Something that Steve’s lavishly late statements ‘… I want out… I’m just a dumb cowboy…’ could not have been emphasized more clearly. Both the various characters and their actions will be viewed with the necessary skepticism. They provide little or no identification and compassion and that is one of the reasons why it will be difficult to remain fascinated by this story. Also in terms of the Scottish villagers, there is not too much interesting or credible. While it’s fun for fans of 1973’s ‘The Wicker Man’ to see brilliant horror actor Christopher Lee briefly pass by in a flashback of one of the villagers, it’s nowhere near enough to see this ‘The Wicker Tree’ to save. All the more remarkable given that director Robin Hardy has indeed designed the original ‘The Wicker Man’ from 1973 all too creditably. This ‘The Wicker Tree’, however, is not a film that has much to offer in terms of horror or mystery or perhaps intended satirical-humorous approach or that requires a lot of effort.