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Edge of the Knife is a 2018 Canadian film about a Haida family and one member estranged in the wilderness who becomes the Gaagiixiid, “the wildman”. This is the first feature film ever to be spoken only in the Haida language, and it shows. Much like the native language, the movie is careful and ponderous with the story.
Set in the 19th century among the scenic landscape of Haida Gwaii, also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, Adiitsʹii and Kwa prepare for the winter. On the morning before Kwa and family are to head south, Adiitsʹii takes Kwa’s son out to search for black cod. Unfortunately there is some kind of accident, Gaas dies and Adiitsʹii takes off into the wild. The remaining film is one man in a grass skirt trying to survive the harsh winter with no fire or weapons, until the family returns and realizes he is still alive and must be dealt with.
A captivating story of survival and betrayal, no doubt, but somehow I ended up mistaking it for a horror film, which it most decidedly is not. 7 sea urchin spikes in your face out of 10.
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