In a small Midwestern town, a deadly annual ritual unfolds when the mythical nightmare, Sawtooth Jack, rises from the cornfields and challenges the town’s teenage boys in a bloody battle of survival. A film by David Slade, starring Casey Likes, E’myri Crutchfield, Dustin Ceithamer, Elizabeth Reaser, Britain Dalton, West Mulholland, Jeremy Davies, and Luke Kirby.

On Halloween night of 1963, masked teenage boys, clutching weapons, race through a cornfield outside of town, pursuing a supernatural entity. A charred body is discovered, supposedly scorched by the entity’s menacing power.

The boys pursue the supernatural entity as it moves toward the town. When Jim Shephard (Britain Dalton) manages to kill it, he reaches into its corpse and tears out chunks of flesh to consume. The other boys cheer wildly before joining him in the grotesque feast.

The Harvester’s Guild announces Jim as the winner of this year’s run, rewarding his family with a new home and a large cash prize. Jim himself receives a brand-new Corvette and permission to leave town. Jim’s younger brother Richie (Casey Likes), begs to go with him, but Jim bids his brother farewell, promising to write letters. Jim then drives off alone in his new car.

One year later, teenage boys gather in the school gymnasium, listening intently as Officer Jerry Ricks (Luke Kirby) explains their town’s annual ritual: The Run. Every year, these boys are confined to their rooms for three days without food or water. Then, on the fateful night when the supernatural entity Sawtooth Jack returns, they will be released. Their mission is to hunt down and kill Sawtooth Jack before it reaches the town’s church at midnight. If they fail, the town and its crops will face devastating consequences.

During Officer Ricks’s briefing, several boys suggest the Sawtooth killing is rigged, provoking Richie into a fight. When Officer Ricks breaks it up, he reminds Richie he shouldn’t even be there. (The film later reveals that the rules forbid members of previous winners’ families from entering The Run.) But Richie is furious, desperate to prove himself to his parents and show he can be just as good as — if not better than — his brother Jim.

After a heated argument with his parents about participating in The Run, even against their rules, Richie receives a letter from Jim urging him to stay put and look after their parents. Frustrated, Richie steals a car and attempts to flee town, but is intercepted and knocked unconscious by Officer Ricks. Richie remains unconscious for three days and awakens on the night of The Run.

Most horror fans can guess, even without reading the novel, that Jim never actually left town. Instead, like winners before him, he has become Sawtooth Jack, continuing the demonic cycle. Despite this predictability, it remains intriguing to see how Richie will attempt to break the cycle.

Several scenes strain credibility, particularly the idea that a single officer could prevent an entire town from leaving. As the film depicts, at least one man was able to escape, so there’s no supernatural barrier or curse keeping people trapped. While the film has its logical flaws and some unconvincing CGI, it makes up for these shortcomings with one of the most captivating monster designs and inventive kills I’ve seen in recent memory.

The film misses an opportunity to delve deeper into the darker aspects of its premise. The ending feels simplistic and conventional, failing to allow evil to triumph — a choice that generates even more unanswered questions.

Directed by British filmmaker David Slade from a screenplay written by Michael Gilio, DARK HARVEST is a fantasy horror film loosely based on Norman Partridge’s 2006 Bram Stoker Award-winning novel. Set in a remote hamlet, the story follows young men who must face off against a terrifying creature each year for a chance to win a coveted prize.

The Bram Stoker Award is an esteemed recognition presented annually by the Horror Writers Association (HWA) for “superior achievement” in the genres of dark fantasy and horror writing. Named after the iconic author of Dracula, the awards were established in 1987 and have been awarded since 1988, celebrating outstanding works published in English.

DARK HARVEST had its limited released in the United States on 11 October 2023. The film was released digitally on 13 October.