In the outskirts of a quiet camp site, lives a monolithic “hulk” …a dweller… who quietly tends to his beloved pig farm, while producing a local favorite delicacy: The Hermit Jerky. Now, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the film’s first sequence of a lost young woman who stumbles onto his land will result into her becoming ingestible flavored meat, just moments after clicking play on The Hermit. However, do not underestimate the source behind a grown man’s will to please his dear ‘ole deranged mama. And the family business.  

News journalist Doris is trying to catapult her career into serious broadcasting by going after the savage story surrounding survivor Lisa, a teenager who disappeared into the woodlands of Lynden Park during a family trip, only to be rescued later…visibly shaken but physically unharmed. While undergoing intense in-patient treatment at a psychiatric hospital, Doris and her crew visit to capture this harrowing tale, trying to piece together an adequate timeline from the moment Lisa, (along with father, Tony and boyfriend, Eric) made it to the grounds, abruptly encountered the menacing mute Hugo and escaped an ordeal of tortuous abuse. With all the recent “disappearances” in the quiet nearby town and speculation that this recluse was behind countless and heinous crimes, how did Lisa manage to survive?  

Through fuzzy memories, Lisa takes us on her staggering journey (with her silly yet protective beau), as they lose themselves on a hike and end up on disheveled and isolated property with aggressive boars, no electricity and an ogre owner who apparently does NOT like unannounced visitors.  

As she shares her hardship from panic to grief, Lisa’s monotoned unwillingness to expose TOO much detail is noted once faced with probing questions from Doris. Beginning with “What does the other side of hell look like?”, the pretty teen carefully selects her words with discord and little emotion. Blended with her history of a recent loss (her mom died from lung cancer, most likely from her father’s incessant second hand smoke creating a tone of resentment), to her new relationship with Eric who she quickly assigns as her savior, I immediately wonder why her life was spared by the reclusive Hugo and what is she trying to block…or purposely hide?    

So, who is Hugo?

As a child, he was viciously bullied, labeled as a “pig fucker” and physically traumatized which resulted in permanent hearing loss. While mama defended him in crude manners, nothing went without effects to her cause, thus becoming Hugo’s firm rule in farming: “Never waste the meat.” Scarred by recurring visions and echoes of his mama’s torment, Hugo becomes a loner with only the promise of seeing his beloved mother again one day. If he does what he is told, of course.    

Locals dubbed her a witch. But to her “mama’s boy”, she was his entire world. The evilness that one woman can hold over a child even at an adult age is mesmerizing until he stumbles upon Lisa and everything changes. Do they have commonalities, or is this sheer fear that clams up her recollection of the most nightmarish experience? The exploitation of the media results in horrific consequences, all in the hands of one single teenage girl. She has power, guilt, sorrow and…secrets. And with no additional witnesses to corroborate her story, she has nothing to lose.  

The Hermit is savvy, smart and skillfully crafted to force us down a path of predictability that you’d encounter after watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Motel Hell or even Wrong Turn. You’d be mistaken in assuming that this is just another country bumpkin slasher flick without questionable motives. The big reveal isn’t earth shattering, but it isn’t as hokey as a hockey mask in the darkness. Or as predominant as a quirky musical score…which ends with a Betty Boop revival! Pretty wicked, and ironically playful. The Hermit delivers the goods above a tasty jerky.