Gift of Fear (2024) – Review

In this movie featuring Indigenous people and stories, a young woman played by Isa Antonetti, is trying to adjust to her new foster home as her girlfriend is kidnapped by people from her past.

Plot Summary

It has been ten years since Mili’s mom was taken from her, and since then, the chip on her shoulder has only grown bigger and bigger. However, upon meeting Koko and being part of the Dragon Fox Dojo, there has been a shift in her life.

But, with still living on a reservation where kidnapping, murder, and women being forced into sex work exists, while the Dragon Fox Dojo is a haven, it doesn’t fix a systematic problem Mili finds herself having to face when her girlfriend is taken.

Noted Cast and Characters Of “Gift of Fear”

Character’s Name	Actor’s Name
Mili	Isa Antonetti
Koko	Laura Vallejo
Ten	Nora Zade

Mili

Mili is a 17-year-old girl who has gone through a lot. She lost her mom almost a decade ago, has been in and out of different foster homes, has run with a gang for a while, and has now gotten some sense of peace. However, the damage has been done, and her stability has to last for her to heal.

Koko

Koko knows well about what girls like Mili have gone through, for she has gone through something similar. Between abusive and possessive boyfriends, guns firing around her, and a feeling of helplessness, Koko has experienced what Mili has and more. Hence, she created a safe space for people to gather, train, and gain peace not just outside of themselves but internally.

Ten

Ten is a member of Mili’s class who caught her attention by defending her. Things expanded as they met when Ten picked up their sibling, and they started dating.

Content Information

• Dialog: Cursing
• Violence: Gun Violence, Family Violence, Blood, Notable Fight Scenes
• Sexual Content: Sexual Situations (Implied)
• Miscellaneous: Drinking, Drug Use

Review

Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)

Similar To This

1. Rhymes for Young Ghouls
2. Fancy Dance
3. Reservation Dogs

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Highlights

A Diverse Depiction Of Indigenous Life

While, unfortunately, like most under the BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ umbrella, it can seem like there is a stronger focus on trauma than anything else, “Gift Of Fear” isn’t purely about murder, kidnapping, and exploitation. From depicting family, community, Koko’s dojo, and traditional practices, there is more to “Gift of Fear” than fear itself.

Mili, for example, may have an unfortunate story, but then we see her learn martial arts and gain a crush on a girl named Ten. While we don’t see much beyond a montage, it’s something: the acceptance of queerness in Indigenous cultures and the value of family structure, whether directly related or not.

It all gives a peek into normalcy beyond the usual narrative, which has its place and is necessary so people understand what is happening but can often feel like it is saturating the market.

A Message Behind The Drama

Yes, “Gift Of Fear” is about more than the issues that exist on reservations but it also acts as a reminder to people that these issues exist. As noted in an end title card, 9,000 Native American women are missing in the United States and Canada. Then, going to the Department of the Interior’s Indian Affairs report, it is noted that four in five American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetime, with over half (56.1%) experiencing sexual violence.

These are facts and hard data, but data often doesn’t travel beyond already interested parties. You need mediums and vehicles like “Gift of Fear” to portray the issues to get people interested or informed. You need to see the bad relationships between American cops, the Federal Government, and Indigenous police. There must be an understanding of the dynamics and lack of opportunities that make illegal activities flourish and go under the radar. Never mind, you have to see people who, because they feel neglected by society and those in power, either don’t trust people in authority or don’t wish to disturb the system for life is hard enough.

The medium of movies and television are necessary for entertainment and for people to gain exposure. Not just the actors or people behind the camera but also the stories and people they represent.

You Can Get Into Characters As Individuals

With heavy topics, it’s easy to imagine that everyone would get swept up in the drama, and individual characters would be no more than mediums. That isn’t 100% true. Yes, a lot of characters aren’t given time to exist beyond their purpose. However, in the case of Mili and Koko, you are given full and rounded stories.

Yes, both have gone through trauma. However, Koko has grown beyond it, has a dojo, is closer to her family than ever, and is a rock within her community. She even flirts with the outsider a bit, though nothing comes of that.

Then, with Mili, yes, she is in foster care and is having trouble at school, but then there is Ten, Koko’s dojo filled with eccentric characters and bonds being formed that allow her to laugh. Now, does this mean her foster sister and their issues are swept under the rug? No. The same goes for who Mili used to associate with whenever she ran away. But, you get the type of story that makes you wish that, following the end of “Reservation Dogs,” we would have gotten something like “Gift of Fear.”

On The Fence

The Acting Is A Little Green Sometimes

For many actors, going by their IMDB pages, this is their first major role. Many have been working for years but in terms of being the lead? That isn’t something seen often in anyone’s filmography. With that said, there are moments when lines are delivered awkwardly. It isn’t so bad you want to say it is camp or outright terrible, but I would be remiss not to say it is notable in moments and throughout “Gift of Fear.”

General Information

Film Length	1 Hour 52 Minutes
Date Released	July 9, 2024
Distributor	Random Media
Director(s)	Katy Dore, Jack Kohler
Writer(s)	Carly Kohler, Jack Kohler
Genre(s)	Crime Drama Thriller Young Adult LGBT+
Content Rating	Not Rated