In February of 1959 a group mysteriously disappears in the Ural Mountains of Russia leaving behind no survivors, details of what happened are scarce, mix that with a "found footage" styling and you have Devil's Pass.

A US team of documentary filmmakers travel to Russia (sounds familiar?) in search of answers to thec A very real incident where Soviet investigators determined that although two of victims suffered from fractured skulls, two from broken ribs and one was missing her tongue, that the group parished of natural causes. Likely the act of an avalanche, except for the whole tongue thing and radioactive clothing, it has caused any number of theories to surface.

The group is led by the overly perky, Holly, who's sole purpose is to keep everyone on track as they track down the truth. Which proves to be a tough nut to crack, with the tightlipped locals. The film although slow to start picks up the pace as the crew begins hiking, and thats when things get truly weird.

On the “Mountain of the Dead,” they’re faced with plenty of unexplained incidents from footprints mysteriously appearing in the snow to GPS navigation devices failing to work. It quickly spirals out of control by the time the surviving group has to retreat to a mysterious cave for the final act of the movie.

The premise of Devil’s Pass is completely provocative though it never quite lives up to its hype. Rather than delivering scares, its merely suspenseful. “Devil’s Pass” is, in many ways, an upgraded “Blair Witch Project.” But rather than capitalizing on that fear that "Blair Witch Project" captured with its simple story, "Devil's Pass" nixes the shaky camera work, and gives a rather complicated back story that draws the suspense out far too long.

Is it entertaining? Sure, but the dialogue is utterly groan-worthy, and I felt that I was laughing more at the movie rather that with it.  Director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2) would have been better off telling the story of the actual “Dyatlov Pass Incident” rather than to delve into the found footage craze.




Devil's Pass opens in limited release and on VOD Friday, August 23rd.

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On behalf of IFC Films we are pleased to share the official trailer for their upcoming film, DEVIL'S PASS. Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger), the film follows five American college students as they explore the infamous Dyatlov’s Pass in hopes of uncovering the mystery of nine Russian hikers who made the same trek in 1959 – only to be found dead two weeks later.

The real life mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident has baffled investigators and researchers for decades, and rumors have attributed their strange deaths to everything from  alien encounters to government conspiracies. Check out the brand new trailer to join a new generation of explorers as they make their way through the infamous Ural Mountains and uncover secrets more shocking than they could have ever imagined. 

DEVIL'S PASS opens in select theaters and will be available on cable VOD, as well as digital platforms (including iTunes and SundanceNow) on August 23rd.

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DEVIL'S PASS

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DIRECTOR: 

Renny Harlin

CAST: 

Holly Gross 

Matt Stokoe 

Luke Albright 

Ryan Hawley 

Gemma Atkinson 

Richard Reid

About DEVIL'S PASS: 

Fact: In February of 1959, nine Russian hikers ventured into a remote area of the Ural Mountains in Russia. 

Fact: Two weeks later, all nine were found dead. 

What happened to them is a mystery that has baffled investigators and researchers for decades. It has become known as the Dyatlov Pass Incident. 

Rumors have attributed their deaths to everything from alien encounters and government conspiracies to supernatural causes. To date, no one has been able to adequately explain what drove nine experienced hikers from their tents so frantically that they ripped through the material from the inside; or how their bodies came to be exposed to such dangerous amounts of radiation that it was still detected weeks later. And no one knows why they were discovered hundreds of yards from their camp, half dressed and with internal injuries including broken ribs and fractured skulls, but with no external wounds at all. The body of one young woman was even missing her tongue.

Present Day: Five ambitious American college students are issued a grant to return to the site of the original events in the belief that they can uncover and document the truth of what happened at Dyatlov’s Pass. But what they find is more shocking than anything they could have imagined. Their trek through the Ural Mountains, retracing the steps of that ill-fated journey, is plagued by strange and increasingly terrifying phenomena, all of which suggest that in spite of their desolate surroundings, they are not alone. The forces behind the Dyatlov Pass Incident have been waiting for them.

The students’ recently recovered footage – the only clue to what happened to them – was deemed too disturbing for public eyes. But, like everything else connected to Dyatlov’s Pass, the truth has found its way out.         

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