Snyder’s daughter Rosalie is a bit of a problem child. In fact, she maybe isn’t even Rosalie any more. Regardless, she is part of the reason the Snyders must relocate so frequently. Apparently, he has some sinister obligations he must fulfill in their new town, but he is reluctant to get down to it. Instead, he approaches Floating Hawk, a Native American spiritualist for counseling. Inexplicably, she prohibits Rosalie from stepping foot on reservation property, but she is willing to parcel out some cryptic advice to Snyder.
There is a whole lot of crazy stuff in Harbinger, including Faustian bargains, Native American spiritualism, and honest-to-gosh, the ghosts of 1920s gangsters. Believe it or not, the ways they all relate is kind of clever. There are many surprises in the film that are tricky to write-around, in order to avoid spoilers. However, it is maybe okay to give Klipstine and co-screenwriter Amy Mills credit for the notion different laws apply to lands associated by Native religions and those governed by Christianity—and it just so happens the border between them runs straight through the Snyder’s new town.
Sometimes, The Harbinger is so over-the-top, it only seems to be missing Nic Cage, but Klipstine does his best to Cage-rage in his place. There are times when the film is completely off-the-rails, including several appearances from Satan. Nevertheless, it repeatedly earns points for originality. Klipstine really goes broke throughout the film, which is cool, especially when his ideas land (a good 60% to 70% of the time).
This really is the sort of film you should see in a theater, because it is sure to elicit a very verbal response. Opinions will likely vary—drastically, but if you want to see something different, well brother, this absolutely qualifies. Recommended in proportion to your adventurousness, The Harbinger opens today (9/2) at Laemmle Glendale.
