‘The Hermit’ DVD Review
Stars: Lou Ferrigno, Malina Weissman, Julie Chang, Anthony Turpel, Devon Michaels, James Quattrochi, Marilyn Busch | Written by William Walkerley | Directed by Salvatore Sclafani
Directed by Salvatore Sclafani (Dutch II: Angel’s Revenge) and written by a debuing William Walkerley, The Hermit is a surprisingly ambitious backwoods slasher that blends genre familiarity with psychological intrigue. While it borrows heavily from classics like Wrong Turn and Deliverance, this film carves out a distinctive identity of its own, thanks to an inventive narrative structure and a memorable performance from Lou Ferrigno as the titular monster.
Ferrigno plays the titular character – a deaf, reclusive pig farmer who’s as physically imposing as he is emotionally damaged. What sets The Hermit apart from most slashers is its framing device: the film unfolds largely through the recollections of a young woman (Malina Weissman) as she recounts her harrowing survival tale to a journalist (Julie Chang). As she tells her story, the film drifts between her present-day interview and flashbacks to the violent events she endured. But as her memories begin to clash with the journalist’s probing questions, doubts emerge. Is everything she’s saying true? This layered approach injects a level of mystery that helps elevate the film beyond a typical bloodbath.
The core of the story follows Lisa, her emotionally frayed father, and her irritating (but believable) boyfriend, Eric, as they venture into the wilderness following the death of Lisa’s mother. What starts as a strained family outing quickly spirals into a nightmare when they cross paths with the hermit, who, it turns out, has a taste for turning his victims into jerky and selling it to local traders.
Ferrigno, often remembered as the gentle Hulk, is a force to be reckoned with here. He’s not just a mindless brute; he’s a layered antagonist with a tragic backstory slowly revealed through unsettling hallucinations and flashbacks. There’s a tragic, almost sympathetic air to his character, and Ferrigno leans into the quiet menace of the role with impressive restraint. The fact that the character is deaf works to Ferrigno’s strengths and gives the villain a unique presence: less chatty stalker, more silent predator.
The film also deserves credit for avoiding the “unkillable monster” trope. Ferrigno’s villain is terrifying but not invincible. He wears makeshift armour, stalks his prey with cunning, and feels more grounded than your typical slasher icon. The production design around his remote pig farm reinforces that unsettling realism, helping build a bleak and believable world. There are moments where the film stumbles. Some key plot points are delivered through exposition rather than action, and a few story elements are introduced only to be left dangling.
The kills themselves are serviceable but underwhelming. The hermit’s weapon of choice, a harpoon-like spear, is visually striking, but the CGI used to depict the impalements lacks weight and realism. The violence often feels sanitised, and horror fans hoping for gruesome practical effects may be left wanting. While some of the gore happens off-screen or is implied, what’s shown could have used more punch and grit to match the film’s otherwise grim tone.
Where The Hermit really succeeds is in its attempt to blend slasher thrills with psychological depth. There’s a sincere effort to explore trauma, grief, and the mental toll of violence. While the film doesn’t fully land all its thematic ambitions, it gets points for trying and for mostly pulling it off. The pacing may slow down in parts, and the final act introduces twists that strain plausibility, but it wraps up with enough tension and intrigue to satisfy.
Ultimately, The Hermit is more than just another low-budget slasher. It’s smarter than it looks, anchored by a genuinely compelling villain, and unafraid to take narrative risks. No, it’s not as clever as it wants to be, but it’s far more engaging than many of its peers. For fans of rural horror and grittier slashers, this is one worth watching.
***½ 3.5/5
The Hermit is scheduled for a DVD release on October 20th, courtesy of High Fliers.
