‘Release the purity within’
Artik is a 2019 American horror feature film written and directed by Tom Botchii Skowronski.
The movie stars Chase Williamson (John Dies at the End), Lauren Ashely Carter (Imitation Girl), Matt Mercer (Contracted), Gavin White (14 Cameras) and Jerry G. Angelo (7 Faces of Jack the Ripper).
Reviews:
” …Artik offers good acting, a good story with plenty of turns, and it is solidly put together too. There is a little shaky-cam during the action scenes, though it aids them rather distracting from them. The pacing is smooth too, building up to its climax, which is well worth the journey.” Cryptic Rock
“Hazarding a genuinely wild guess, first-time feature filmmaker Tom Botchii appears to use his script to work through possibly personal topics as a cathartic form of therapy. What Botchii doesn’t afford as much attention to is how to mold the demons he wishes to exorcise into fiction focused on entertainment.” Culture Crypt
“Artik is a suspenseful, scary, and intense horror thriller anchored by terrific lead performances and a relentless pace.” Horror Media
“Overall, Artik is a fascinating, bleak story with strong themes and interesting characters, but comes just short of fully developing those elements. These are great characters, but the film’s too-quick pace doesn’t allow us to get to know them well. We never fully understand Artik’s motives or why Flin goes along with it…” Killer Horror Critic
“The practical effects are wickedly good, and the killings are gory on a savage level. It’s a film with a relentless pursuit of its own truth. And while it may fall just short of that lofty ambition, Artik is well worth checking out as a frightening and dark mystery.” Morbidly Beautiful
“As a tone poem for escapism at its brutal worst, it’s easy to dislike a serial killer like Artik. Every person cast in this film does a fine job of portraying what happens within its walls. Artik’s score will make you feel as if you’re trapped under the earth. It’s only when you notice the farm is growing sunflowers that sometimes the prettiest things hide the ugliest truths.” Mother of Movies
“Artik isn’t an easy film to sit through, as it’s very primal in its shocks and violence, shows a certain mean spirit and doesn’t try to over-analyze and that way sanitize things – which is exactly why the film ought to play very well with horror audiences.” Search My Trash
Background:
Writer-director Botchii has commented: “It sounds funny but making Artik, a film about a murderer, was actually, kind of healing. Truth is, the character himself is loosely based on my dad and the character of Holton was based around an ex-girlfriend.
So from the moment that I started writing, it felt like the story was just pouring out of me and releasing a lot of pent up emotion. And that was the original goal, do something that gets this off my chest, but also works as a small, independent horror production. Then, small began to morph into real which then changed into holy crap – it’s happening! And now, it feels like it’s truly starting to take on a life of its own.”
Release:
Artik premiered at the Popcorn Frights Festival in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on August 11, 2019. Artik is released on VOD by Epic Pictures’ DREAD on September 10th.
Cast and characters:
Chase Williamson … Holton Shudcase
Jerry G. Angelo … Artik
Lauren Ashley Carter … Flin Brays
Matt Mercer … Kar
David Robbins … Travis Mers
Gavin White … Boy Adam
Kari White … Counselor Ward
Cyrus Dodson-Sands … Boy Captive
Nathan Lee Livingston … Boy Captive
William Ward … Boy Sam
Trailer:
#Artik
