Never Cry Wolf

Tyler, a Canadian biologist, is assigned to investigate the caribou decline in the remote Arctic. He hires Rosie Little to fly him into the wilderness, but once they reach the destination, Rosie leaves him stranded on a frozen lake. He must orient himself to a world of ice, silence, and survival on his own.

An Inuk named Ootek finds Tyler and shelters him at the edge of his new environment. He helps him navigate the brutal cold, locate shelter, and begin a routine of survival. The meeting marks the start of an uneasy but essential alliance.

Tyler observes two wolves, George and Angeline, and they seem as curious about him as he is about them. Over days they engage in social exchanges such as territory marking, building a fragile trust. He begins to view the wolves as intelligent beings rather than mere threats.

Noticing that the wolves and he have not eaten caribou, Tyler begins a side experiment by eating only mice to test protein sustenance in the wilderness. The diet affects his energy and mood as he monitors his body. This experiment deepens his bond with the wolves as a shared reliance on small prey emerges.

Another Inuk named Mike encounters Tyler and says he is missing most of his teeth. Mike reveals that he hunts wolves for pelts to make a living, hinting at a mercenary edge to the frontier. Tyler learns that not everyone shares his tranquil view of the wolves, adding tension to life in the camp.

Ootek takes Tyler on a three day hike toward where the caribou will migrate. They observe the wolves launching several attacks, but the herd mostly evades them. The trip yields a crucial realization that the caribou movement shapes the wolves' hunting opportunities and survival.

During the encounter, Tyler collects a bone sample from a killed caribou and discovers the carcasses are diseased. This confirms that the wolves are killing the weaker caribou rather than hunting healthy prey, reframing the conflict between predator and prey.

Tyler learns that Rosie has returned with investors who intend to develop the lakefront and mountain slope into a hotel. The intrusion threatens the wilderness and Tyler's isolated existence. Rosie tells him his behavior is irrational but offers to fly him out, though she plans to return in a few days.

Tyler confronts Rosie when his plane approaches the camp and believes she killed the wolves. He shouts for her to leave and fires his rifle to scare the aircraft away. The confrontation marks a turning point as the human threat intensifies in his environment.

Later, Mike tells Tyler to focus on his own survival and hints that he knows about Rosie's plans. He flashes new dentures, signaling his own mercenary survival approach and distance from Tyler. The moment underscores the growing complexity of the human intrusion in the Arctic.

As the first snow falls, Tyler plays a wolf call on his bassoon to summon wolves from George and Angeline's pack. The howling moment deepens his bond with the wilderness and blurs the line between human and animal communication. He reflects on whether his presence here has aided the modern world in reaching this place.

Ootek returns to rejoin Tyler and they break camp together. They trek across the fall tundra toward the south, sharing company and companionship as they move away from the initial isolation. The journey ends with a quiet contemplation of what has happened and what lies ahead.