The Retreat Movie Review

『A Story of Survival and Love Between Two Women Who Become Truly Strong While Protecting Each Other in the Face of Death』

🎥 Movie Overview

🎬 Title: The Retreat (2021)
🌍 Country: 🇨🇦 Canada
🎞️ Genre: Horror / Thriller / LGBTQ+ Drama
⏳ Runtime: 90 min
📢 Director: Pat Mills
🖋️ Screenplay: Alyson Richards

👩‍💼 Cast: Tommie-Amber Pirie – Renee
Sarah Allen – Valerie

🧩 In-Depth Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🌲 Tension Around ‘Commitment’

Before the horror begins, Renee and Valerie’s relationship already carries subtle but crucial tension—this emotional conflict lays the psychological groundwork for the external threats they are about to face.

• Contrasting personalities:
  • Valerie (the optimist, the commitment seeker): Valerie longs for stability and formal commitment (marriage). She approaches their relationship with hope and optimism, and she plans the “couple’s retreat” as a way to deepen their bond and move their relationship forward.
  • Renee (the hesitant, avoidance-prone one): Renee is far more introverted and guarded. She feels pressured by Valerie’s desire for commitment and often retreats from emotional vulnerability—hinting at past trauma or deep-seated anxiety. She struggles to fully open herself up to Valerie.
• Urban vs. rural safety and openness: During their road trip, Renee hesitates to tell a man at a gas station that Valerie is her girlfriend. Valerie grows frustrated, revealing not just a relationship conflict but a deeper divide in their approach to queer visibility and safety. Renee, sensing potential danger, hides their relationship; Valerie, on the other hand, wants to be open about who they are.

🚨 External Threats and Immediate Unity

When homophobic extremists kidnap and torture them, the couple’s internal tension vanishes under overwhelming violence. What replaces it is a fierce instinct for survival and unspoken solidarity.

• Validation through vulnerability: In isolation and mortal danger, Renee and Valerie realize that they are each other’s only ally and strength. The imperfections in their relationship fade compared to their mutual love and reliance. Their fight to survive becomes a fight to preserve their bond.
• Reversal of roles and hidden power: In the film’s latter half, Renee reveals unexpected combativeness and survival skills, shifting the dynamic between them. While Valerie initially led the relationship with emotional commitment, Renee’s emergent strength and bravery allow her to rescue Valerie, taking on the role of protector. By risking her own life for Valerie, Renee ultimately proves her own form of devotion.

👍 Love Triumphant Over Hate

Renee and Valerie’s relationship forms the emotional and thematic core of the film.

• Depoliticization and re-politicization of love: The film begins by portraying their relationship as ordinary and apolitical—mirroring any other couple’s struggles. However, once they become targets of hate crimes, their love itself turns into a political act of resistance. Their survival becomes synonymous with defiance against hate, and their unity embodies the victory of queer existence.
• Survival together: Unlike in many traditional horror films where couples betray or abandon one another, Renee and Valerie empower and rely on each other. Their teamwork in defeating the attackers becomes a literal representation of queer solidarity against hatred—a cathartic, defiant moment of strength.
• Revenge and liberation: In the final act, the pair transitions from victims to hunters, executing a bloody and merciless revenge against their tormentors. This violence goes beyond genre satisfaction—it symbolizes the release of long-suppressed rage and trauma within marginalized communities. Watching the villains fall by their own tools of hate gives the audience a profound sense of catharsis and justice.

🕸 A Revenge Tale That Hunts Hatred

The Retreat gains its emotional depth by portraying Renee and Valerie’s flawed yet authentic relationship. The film layers the universal theme—“the one you love gives you strength”—over the brutal reality of queer existence marked by hatred and violence. It elicits both deep empathy and a fierce message of queer survival and empowerment.

This film confronts the truth that “homophobia kills”—both metaphorically and literally—while showcasing resistance and victory through solidarity. It stands as a raw, blood-soaked revenge thriller delivering an unflinching portrayal of queer resilience and power.

🎯 Personal Rating (Taste-Based)

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★☆