Shadow of the Wolf MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -2 1/2

SHADOW OF THE WOLF plays out the realistic saga of Agaguk (Lou Diamond Phillips) and his young wife, Igiyook (Jennifer Tilly), in the remote Arctic wilderness. Agaguk lives in a rocky, icy village where his father, Kroomak (Toshiro Mifune), is chief. When he kills a white trader in a fit of anger, Agaguk leaves the village. He forcibly takes with him pretty Igiyook as a wife, and they set up housekeeping in an igloo on a snowy, wind-swept plain. They survive on animals which Agaguk kills, along with meager rations from a distant trading post. For a while, they live with Igiyook's people and experience an exciting whale hunting adventure, but eventually return to his father's village. Agaguk is delighted when Igiyook bears him a son. Eventually, the police come to the native village looking for the man who killed the white trader. Agaguk's father takes drastic, sacrificial action to protect his son. SHADOW OF THE WOLF is a well done, fascinating drama of life in the beautiful Arctic wilderness. Lou Phillips gives a very credible performance as a rugged Arctic Indian.

SHADOW OF THE WOLF reveals some interesting insights into the village life, behavior and religious practices of the Arctic natives. In a surprising slur on Christians, a Scottish Christian couple at a trading post are mean and bigoted. Three blatantly explicit sexual intercourse incidents are included. Two involve Agukuk and his wife, and another, the chief and a woman in his village shelter. Although they are without nudity, graphic sexual sounds are heard. In his struggle to survive, Agukuk fights and stabs a bear and a wolf in bloody encounters, suffering a gruesome, bloody face injury. Men are shot, stabbed, kicked, and fight each other. Agukuk's wife giving birth is shown in unnecessarily graphic detail. Happily, the characters do not use obscene language, but indulge in whiskey drinking frequently. Although blunt and rough, Agukuk loves his wife and son and protects them. Without the graphic intercourse scenes SHADOW OF THE WOLF would be reasonably acceptable.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Triumph Releasing Co., 711 5th Ave., NY,NY 10022