The Isolate Thief: A Teen Survivor of a Civil War-era Fort Finds No Honour Among Thieves
By John Kirk
Rating: B
As you begin to watch The Isolate Thief, your first question might be, “Why would anyone leave a young teen to fend for herself at an abandoned Union Army outpost in 1865?”
The answer is, she wasn’t left there, she is a duty-bound survivor. And her unusual situation fuels our curiosity about this nail-bitingly tense Civil War era film.
Mackenzie Foy takes careful stock of some new “friends” in The Isolate Thief.
The story: it’s 1865 and Adeline Horn (Mackenzie Foy), daughter of the late Major-General James Horn, US Army, Ret., and Pinkerton Detective, is the only one left to “man” a remote Union Army outpost after her father dies. Isolated and without any indication that relief is on its way, Adeline is completely vulnerable to whatever the world throws her way.
When she is faced with a group of army stragglers looking for an accused thief, it doesn’t take long for Adeline to realize that all isn’t as it seems. Soon she is wrapped up in a search for a stolen cache of gold that falls into her lap. And the outpost she called home becomes a battlefield for her survival.
What works with this movie is the tension. It’s clear from the start that the band of soldiers aren’t who they claim to be. Led by Fiddler John (Sean Bean), the tension is keen between him and Adeline. Initially she sees him as a leader, taken in by his false army credentials, and thinking him to be the relief she was hoping for.
For his part, Fiddler is impressed by the young girl’s grit and respects her. Watching the relationship develop between the two is a large part of the film’s draw.
Adeline represents order and civil behaviour. As the daughter of a Pinkerton detective, the memory of her father is anathema to these criminals.
The question that the audience wants answered is when does the reveal happen? When they find the thief they are looking for, one Burial Perry Parker (Joe Pantoliano), they don’t abide by the military code of justice. Adeline observes this, and the movie takes one step closer to disclosure. We begin to see the gang’s actual identity emerge.
But that takes time. Learning about the gang, the origin of the gold, and their beef with Parker, is a slow burn. We also see that this is a group of ruthless men who will stop at nothing to get what they want. When Adeline rescues a young lady, Emily (Odeya Rush) and sees how they treat her, she begins to realize that her time is limited and that her protection extends to Fiddler John’s indulgence.
Sadly, that slow burn also bogs down the film and it isn’t until the last 35 minutes that the action finally accelerates to a resolution.
Still, there are other factors that make powerful emotional connections. Sean Bean is chilling in his portrayal of the cold-blooded Fiddler John. His Texan drawl is impeccable and – his heroic turns in Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones aside - Bean has given good villain before (GoldenEye, Patriot Games).
The landscape cinematography is immense and beautifully raw. The wide spaces, cold winter and desolate nature of the setting go far to accentuate Adeline’s vulnerability. As Adeline is the focal point, it’s difficult not to feel protective towards her. Of course, this accentuates the tension.
The starkness and unique nature of this story make this film an emotionally compelling watch. Despite the slow pace, the connection with Adeline and the hope for the safety of this plucky and resourceful teenager holds our attention. And the solid cast makes the movie breathe.
The Isolate Thief. Directed by John Suits. Stars Mackenzie Foy, Odeya Rush, Jack Kesy, Ty Simpkins, Martin Sensmeier, Joe Pantoliano, Sean Bean.
The Isolate Thief opens in theatres July 10.