The White Reindeer opens with a folk song from Lapland, about a child who is born a witch, that is fated to offer a white reindeer to a stone God.
Fast forward a number of years later, and we find ourselves watching a beautiful and talented young woman fall in love with a popular reindeer herder.
He pursues her hand in marriage and the two are wed.
But he's not really the promiscuous type, and leaves for long spats on reindeer herding expeditions...while she lies in wait at home alone.
With another expedition coming up, he plans to give her with a gift, to show he loves her.
This gift is an albino reindeer, to keep as a pet.
But she gets lonely on these long nights alone...
So, one day, she sets off on an excursion of her own...to the hermit shack of a local shaman that practices witchcraft.
Bearing offerings of bread, cheese, meat and booze...she seeks to acquire a love potion, that will make her beloved as infatuated with her, as he was when he was when first wooing her.
But for this to take effect, she must sacrifice the first "living thing" she encounters on her way home.
Before he even finishes the ritual, the shaman realizes that she is actually the powerful witch that has been foretold of in their great myths.
Whether she realizes this herself or not is unclear, but, upon her return home, she is immediately struck with worry...as the first living things she sees are her husband- who has unexpectedly returned home- and her pet reindeer, who she has cared for since it was weened.
But which did she notice first?
To ensure the curse will be effective, she travels to the monument of the stone God, as she was told to, with her beloved pet- a token of his love for her- to sacrifice it.
But is killing a spirit animal like this a bad omen of it's own?
Impatient to find out if it has worked or not, she travels to the fells in search of her husband.
But he is off tracking a wolverine...when she realizes that the pact she has entered into might have been a ruse by the devil.
For, what is the one thing (other than a beautiful woman) that reindeer herders simply cannot resist, but a wild, white reindeer?
Upon this realization, she immediately transforms into a white reindeer, herself, under the light of a full moon.
And finds herself being pursued by another hunter, entirely.
When he manages to catch her, she instantly turns back into a woman...and he can't resist his urges.
So she mutilates him.
Before turning back into the reindeer again.
Now, each time there is a full moon, she turns into the white reindeer, and is pursued until she kills a man.
When the hunters realize that it must be the white witch reindeer from their tales, each time they find a dead man in Evil Valley- as the only tracks leading to the body are those of a reindeer (while the wounds are not compatible with anything a reindeer could possibly inflict)- they plan to kill it, in order to prevent any future murders from occurring.
And speak of the devil...
Upon her appearance, in front of the group of hunters currently discussing her demise, a cocky young hunter tries, unsuccessfully, to shoot her (though, you cannot kill her with bullets, rather, only an iron stake).
This causes her to reveal her true form, which he lives to tell the tale about...though, just barely.
Eventually, he recognizes her back at the camp, and she starts to become increasingly paranoid...believing that she's now turning into a wolf.
Luckily for her, they think he has gone mad, after his ordeal in the fells.
Now, all she can do is watch, as the whole town forges iron spears for the witch hunt...including her own husband.
So, she returns to the shack of the shaman to see if there is any hope for the curse to be lifted.
But it's too late.
The death of a white reindeer got her into this mess, now only the death of a white reindeer can get her out.
The film goes in a perfect circle, as it is her husband who ends up chasing her in the form of the white reindeer, as he did in the opening sleigh chase sequence, when the two fell in love.
The irony here is, that the curse was entirely unnecessary (and didn't even seem to work on who it was meant to affect), because he had always loved her from the beginning.
Making for a tragic love story, and a hauntingly beautiful film.
From the majestic herds, to the canoes pulled by lone reindeer, and the snow laden scenery...everything about Lapland culture is alluring.
And let's be honest...they have the best effing hats.
9 out of 10.
