Review: Becky: Special Edition

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Becky
Directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion
Yale Productions; Bondit Media Capital; BoulderLight Pictures; Buffalo 8 Productions; Quiver Distribution; Redbox Entertainment; MVD Visual
93 minutes, 2020 / 2023
www.MVDVisual.com

I am actually kind of surprised this film came across my desk, as it were. It was a middle-sized release (as opposed to the low-budget indies I usually get to review) that played in theaters less than 20 years ago, and had some relatively name power in its cast that was not just cameos. The three biggest names are Mall Cop (2009) Kevin James playing against type (if this had been an LGBTQ theme, I would have said something about “King of Nazi Queens”), Joel Hale of “Community” taking a serious turn, and up-and-comer Lulu Wilson in the titular role, known mostly for “The Haunting of Hill House” (2018) mini-series, who was 13 at the time of Becky’s filming. There is also a ton of extras in this Blu-ray, which I will get to later.

Lulu Wilson, Joel McHale

After a full minute of production company credits, we are introduced to Becky being interviewed by the police, with the rest being in flashback. The jarring music that seems to be influenced by The Breeders’ “Last Splash,” is a nice transition to the main, dissonant story.

The direction and editing (by Alan Canant) of the opening sequence, which introduces both convict Dominick (James) and schoolgirl Becky (Wilson) is incredibly well done, as they flip back and forth to show that both are unconventional. For Dominick, it is violence for the White Nationalist Brotherhood cause, and for Becky, it is pretty easy to see that she is a bit disturbed, beyond being a teenager and that her mother (played by her real, uncredited, mom) recently died of cancer.

Wilson, Kevin James

What is also interesting to me is that both of these main characters are accompanied by two tall individuals: for Becky, it is her dad, Jeff (Hale), who is almost 6’4”, and for Dominick, it is fellow escaped inmate Apex (ex-professional wrestler Robert Maillet), who is almost 6’11”; he. should be pegged in the second season of “Wednesday” as Lurch

In this mixture of the cabin in the woods, home invasion, and revenge tale, Becky and Jeff go to their little home away from home in the middle of nowhere (filmed near Burlington, Ontario) to re-bond after their tragic events, with their dogs, Diego (looks like part bulldog and pitbull?) and Dora (corso). Joining them is Jeff’s “friend,” Kayla (Amanda Brugel, another television actor known for a comic role as the minister on “Kim’s Convenience”) and her young son Ty (Isaiah Rockcliffe, who seems almost superfluous to the story). Becky is not too pleased; this soon after her mom passing, honestly, I don’t blame her. And with Kayla and Ty being people of color, I am sure that is not going to go well when, knock, knock, guess who is at the door? Well, it ain’t the fairy godmother.

Amanda Brugel

The other two escapees bringing up the rear are non-Brotherhood members Cole (Ryan McDonald) and Hammond (Lane McDougall). Like much of the cast, these two guys are Canadian. Bad for the cabiners, great for Becky’s body count. Once she gets her knitted teddy bear huntin’ hat on, she means business as something inside her mind snaps. Speaking of which, all things considered that this was a theatrical release with some actors known for comedy, it is pretty damn gruesome.

All 5’ of Becky becomes a killin’ machine as she goes up against the four killers who are in search for something that was left in the cabin before they went to jail nearly a decade before, and they are determined to get it at any means. But Becky has other plans.

Other reviewers have compared Becky to Kevin in Home Alone (1990), but whereas the extreme violence against the two crooks were played for laughs (though it would have killed them in real life), Becky is more determined not to harm them, but to end their lives. And she is on the brink enough to go for that desire.

Robert Maillet

For the aforementioned extras, which there are many, it has introductions to the film from directors Jonathan Milott (19 sec) and Cary Murnion (13 sec). They don’t really say anything in that short amount of time to make it worthwhile, but they make up for it with the featurette ‘Two Heads are Better than One: Directing Becky with Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion’ (41 min). Filmed separately, they show how they work together, from inception through all the other usual aspects of filmmaking, such as casting, music, SFX and other anecdotes to keep it interesting.

A couple of short but decent interviews are “No Laughing Matter with Joel McHale” (14 min) and “The Fight of her Life with Lulu Wilson” (14 min). Well, it is more of them individually sitting in chairs and talking, but both bring something to their stories, be it humor and/or some level of innocence yet strength in Wilson’s case. Then there are the two Fan Art Galleries and Behind-the-Scenes Photo Galleries

The last biggie is the full Audio Commentary with actress Lulu Wilson and co-screenwriters Ruckus and Lane Skye. While it is mostly interesting, the sound level is a bit low and occasionally distorted, so it is hard to make out in parts. Unfortunately, this is a common problem on commentaries with three or more people. On the technical side, this Blu-ray has 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo Lossless DTS-HD Master Audio, and a 1080p High Definition Widescreen Presentation (2.39:1)

While the cinematography by Greta Zozula is beautifully shot, my one negative comment is that the cellar and night scenes, especially near the end, are just a bit too dark for my old, tired eyes….and my television.

There are so many actors that are popular for their comic roles, but I find they excel in high drama, like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and even someone who I think is horrible on the funny side but quite good on the dramatic end, Adam Sandler (let’s see how well egocentric and unhumorous Pete Davidson is at portraying Joey Ramone). This is true for both Joel Hale and especially Kevin James, whose previous roles have been more goofy than funny (again, Paul Blart, Mall Cop).

I can see her stringed hat, and yellow and black striped shirt becoming a cosplay subject, or a Halloween costume. Meanwhile, upcoming later this year is The Wrath of Becky. It has big shoes to fill, but I believe it is capable.

IMDB listing HERE

Review: Ash and Bone

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2023
Images from the Internet

Ash and Bone
Directed by Harley Wallen
Auburn Moon Productions; Cama Productions; Painted Creek Productions; Deskpop Entertainment
97 minutes, 2022
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100058326256836

I am right in the mood for a snatch and hide rural serial killer(s) film, reminiscent of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), or The Collector (2009). The prologue, intermixed with the credits, gives us a sample of what is to come. They also delve into the home invasion subgenre.

Into this mess comes vacationing couple from Detroit, older Lucas (director Harley Wallen) – he wears a Rollings Stones Tour shirt from ’76 – and his younger, new wife, Sarah (Kaiti Wallen), and Lucas’s obnoxious and rebellious teen goth daughter, Cassie (Angelina Danielle Cama), for whom it is hard to like, really. We meet them, as is par for the course in these isolated homes subgenre, in the car ride to Lucas’s brother’s vacation house in Hadley Lake, MI (population under 300).

Angelina Danielle Cama, Mason Heidger, Jamie Bernadette

I am a bit confused early on, because in an act of rebellion, Cassie heads to the small town center, in which streets are long and built up, and goes into a crowded bar. This is more like a town of 1,000-2,500. I have relations in towns of about 300-400 people, and it is just a couple of streets long and is deserted at night. Even the hotel/bar run is scarce in denizens. But here, in a bar run by Louie (martial arts legend Mel Novak, aka Mi’lan Mrdjenovich), she meets the local couple Tucker (Mason Heidger) and Anna (Jamie Bernadette). They tell her about the town legend of a murder house, which Cassie insists they show her. Not a good move, of course.

Naturally, at Cassie’s hubris, they enter the Sawyer…I mean McKinley house through a window, and the second act starts with the shit hitting the pain. Getting in was easy. Getting out is another matter. From here on, it is chills and thrills that I will not go into detail. Speaking of which, the big question for me at this point is whether Tucker and Anna are in on it, or will they be fodder. When I do know further on, I will not say. Same with Sheriff Vincent (Shane Hagedorn).

Jimmy Doom

The man of the McKinley family is heavily tattooed, shirtless-and-overalls-wearin’ Clete (Jimmy Doom, vocalist of The Almighty Lumberjacks of Death, a punk band from Detroit). Then there is his equally insane sister, May (Erika Hoveland). Naturally, not only do they look like they should be below the Mason-Dixon line, but they are cannibals: what better way to hide the “evidence.” Yee-haw!

There is a bit of subtle social commentary on the ease of getting weaponry in rural areas. There is also a nod towards small town communities, so when Clete and May come searching, they know where to look as everybody knows nearly everybody. And if they are new, where it is likely to find them, even lone wolves, like the McKinleys. I understand the small-town mentality, such as if you see your worst enemy stuck in a blizzard, you give them a ride home, even if not a word is spoken of it again. But if I was in the position of Tucker and Anna, I would not have rode to the McKinley’s with Cassie. She would have been on her own. Perhaps it’s my Brooklyn upbringing, but screw that.

Erika Hoveland

Between flashbacks and the “present,” Cassie proves that she is not reliable, and consistently makes bad decisions that one can see as “rebellion,” but they are just inconsiderate and mean. I am really trying to see her as the protagonist, but for the first half of the film, she is an anti-hero, I guess. Not a nice person. But I am sure there will be a comeuppance that will either mellow her out to appreciate her life, or kill her. Again, I won’t say which way it goes.

It may be a small town, but there is a decent body count, as the film moves into body horror. Thing is, there are a couple of opportunities that were passed, where we see the end results without the process leading to it. Gorehounds are bound to feel slighted. But then, there is the third act. It’s usually the third act when all the tension of the first two explode into violence.

Speaking of which, I was actually surprised at how little the violence perpetrated was shown throughout. Most of it is just off camera, or we see the results of what happened in the past, as I have stated before. That’s not to say it is mild, no, but it is not very bloody. Though I have to say what SFX is shown looks good (e.g., the blood is the right color and consistency).

The acting is quite good, though Hoveland as May is the standout. Doom is also good as Clete, though his gravelly voice often sounds forced. As for the focus of this release, Cama, she does well, though she purses her lips way too often. Minor quibbles I know.

This is a welcome addition to the canon, and is okay for those who like the violence, and for those who are a bit squeamish, this film does well in having a foot in both camps. Like TCSM, more is implied than shown, but it is still powerful.

In the nothin’ to do with nothin’ department, since this was filmed near Detroit and Pontiac, MI, I am sorry they did not include Motor City’s own punk rockers, Choking Susan (who I saw play at CBGB), on the soundtrack. 

IMBD listing HERE

Horror Shorts Reviews: May 2022

Horror Shorts Reviews for May 2022

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

Filmmakers, please note: usually, I do not review films (unless requested) that appear on sites like Alter and Screamfest, because they have a known platform, which is great, while I would rather focus on films with no sponsored online affiliations. These films are not in ranked order, but rather alphabetically listed by first letter.

 

Don’t Hide
Directed by Dillon Vibbart
Ninja Brothers
12:30 minutes, 2022
www.dillonvibbart.com
There is a lot to recommend about this short, even with its overt Christian overtones. Chloe (Ashton Solecki) is in the middle of a crisis of unknown origin, but enough to have a trio helping her with an intervention (Caitlin Duffy, Omar Cook, Matt Kohler). Their purpose is to keep a demon (Terrence Wentz) at bay, and to give Chloe the possible skills to face it. The demon looks particularly cool in a The Evil Dead (1981) way, and what it represents is pretty obvious from the beginning, yet this is very watchable. Despite the drawbacks (religious overtones and easy to guess where it is going), I just sighed at them and it still kept my attention until the very end. It is smartly written generally, and looks well put together. Definitely a watcher.
Full film HERE 

 

Found Footage Dracula
Directed by Hunter Farris
Bueller Studios
25:24 minutes, 2022
It’s an interesting thought. The director has stated that the original novel was a collection of letters, newspaper articles, etc., and therefore was a presentation of evidence, or a 19th Century found footage novel. So why not update the story and make it a modern found footage (FF) tale? To give you an example, rather than Jonathan Harker (Mitch Tyler) employing a horse and carriage to Castle Dracula, instead he takes an Uber. This is threadbare to the original novel, of course, considering the length and budget, but we have the main characters, including Lucy Westenra (Brookelin Backus), Mina Murray (Yvonne Bass), Doctor John Seward (director Farris) who runs the asylum, and Renfield (RJ Hall) as his chief patient. Of course, the Count himself is never seen because he casts no reflection and cannot be filmed. There is a lot of yelling in fear here, and I found it quite amusing (though not funny, I am glad to say). This is as indie as one can get, with a bunch of friends getting together and doing it on TikTok. I’m quite proud of the troupe, actually: they took a premise, executed it, and did a relatively decent job of it. The short is available in a computer-able version and one that can be watched on the phone. I am hoping that this leads to a full length attempt next. Or perhaps, an adaptation of another classic, like maybe Found Footage Frankenstein.
Full film HERE 

 

Host
Directed by Pat Baker
Postmortem Films; HarLau Productions
24:13 minutes, 2022
A young, yet struggling couple take some time off to a vacation house that’s more of a mansion (the Stoneleigh Estate in Martinsville, VA), with little around them. Annie (Josie Juliette Wert) is lonely and wants some attention from Jeff (JD Starnes), a workaholic, who has trouble leaving his job behind even with a sex scene (a longer short gives more time for stuff like that). Meanwhile, she is seeing visions from the past of previous residents from the 19th Century of an angry and brutal man, Jacob (Zach Ball) and his abused wife, Sara (Bethany Paulsen). Sort of like the television show “Ghosts,” but not a comedy; she can see them, though, but they don’t acknowledge her. Of course, Jeff doubts what Annie sees in demeaning ways. He may not be as physically brutal as Jacob, but he is verbally unsupportive and condescending. She is trying, and he is, too, but at, like, 50 percent. There is a mix of surprises and expectations in this lush tale, beautifully directed and shot. It’s long enough to give some form of exposition of the two main characters’ personalities, and yet short enough not to drag the story along. For a third short film by the director and producer of seven, it is a solid piece of work.
Full film HERE 

 

The Room Upstairs
Directed by Jacob Arbittier
Burnt Mill Road
4:27 minutes, 2020
Extremely prolific of late, this is one of Arbittier’s earlier films, and it is simple and to the point. A mother and daughter are trapped in a house with… well, the poster says it. It’s a bit of a nail biter, though it does not go into detail about how their sitch came about. The music is really creepy and effective at helping build the tension, and the ending is actually a surprise. Simple, short and to the point, and excellent.
Full film HERE 

 

Run
Directed by Alex Magaña
ACMofficial
3:18 minutes, 2022?
http://bit.ly/ACMofficial_Horror_Shorts
As Marshall McLuhan once said (among others), first you use technology, and then technology uses you (e.g., cell phones). For this film, it is FitnessTracker, the fictional equivalent of a Fitbit, that helps organize an exercise plan. However, thanks to a bug, it causes the uses to exercise to death. That is the problem facing the main character (Michael Glauser), as the device on his wrist takes control. And because of his relationship with his girlfriend (Esther Lane Montes), being that he’s the toxic masculinity type, this makes this a really sharp comedy that deals with both the human and tech. Wonder if this device is made by Skynet? Oh, and check out one of the director’s earlier films, which is one of my favorites, “Smiling Woman.”
Full film HERE 

 

Whitetail
Directed by Josh Minyard
Sunhouse Entertainment
15:51 minutes, 2020
www.facebook.com/whitetailshort/?modal=admin_todo_tour
This short is multi-award winning, and it is easy to see why. Beautiful cinematography, well-paced, and well-packed with tension. The very end is a bit obvious, but works incredibly. A young couple on the verge of engagement, Robbie (Derek Evans) and Alex (Tara Parker) are on a hunting trip. It’s not clear if this is for food, or pleasure (personally, I have no problem with the former, uncomfortable with the latter). He goes off to a hunter’s blind in the woods, and she to the spare and isolated cabin. But in a Most Dangerous Game, things do not exactly go as planned. My question is the motive for the action, which is: is it a comment on the first or the second reason for hunting? It probably doesn’t matter, because it is the sheer tension of the actions that occur in the story that make this watchable. One could call the ending ironic.
Full film HERE 

Review: Val

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Val
Directed by Aaron Fradkin
Social House Films; Dread; Epic Pictures; MVD Entertainment
81 minutes, 2021
www.epic-pictures.com
www.mvdb2b.com

If I may start with a digression, as a fan of printed text, having started my real-life career as a typesetter, I am totally impressed by the hard kerning of the “V” and “A” of the title, though I may have tilted the “L” towards the “A” at the angle of the “V” for consistency. Still, it’s a beautiful thing. Okay, end of digression.

So, when is a good thing too much, and the hunter-and-hunted game become reversed, where the person in charge finds out, well, their leverage is not as powerful as they imagined? It’s a premise that’s been around at least since “The Twilight Zone” episode with Sebastian Cabot, “ A Nice Place to Visit.” One could even include The Last House on the Left (1972; 2009) or even Straw Dogs (1971; 2011). But it is the supernatural element that takes it to the next level.

Misha Reeves

In this very dark comedy, criminal-on-the-run Fin (Zachary Mooren), looking like a French Adrian Brody) breaks into the enormous house of the titular Val (Misha Reeves). To start, the power dynamics, of course, are on the side of Fin, knife in hand and threatening scantily-clad redheaded and cleavage-bound Morren.

Val makes her living as a dominatrix, and when Freddy (Erik Griffin), a gangster-type John shows up, things do not go down too well. But will he stay down? Figure it out yourself, or better still, just watch the film. Meanwhile, the relationship between Fin and Val don’t exactly heat up in that way, but the dialogue is quick and witty, with Val trying to charm and assert (as that is her profession) and Fin is untrusting but despite weird and unexplained things happening around him, Fin doesn’t seem to question too hard about the unnatural stuff going on. Perhaps it is Val’s seductive tone (and attire) that are distracting. Most of the plot is the rapport, good and bad, about them that is the core of the film.

Zachary Mooren

While no particular religious denomination is discussed, the central theme of the film is about the Biblical question of whether or not we have free will, as much as what/who is good and what/who is evil. Fin is coerced more often than not by certainly more than one character, but is that still a choice?

It also uses a very colorful palate that increases in intensity as the story unfolds, especially highlighting on reds, with Reeves’ hair and lips being the central focus, most of the time.

Kyle Howard, Reeves, Sufe Bradshaw

It is hardly surprising that this is a comedy and the timing is so sharp since many of the cast are actually comedians and have a history of comic acting. Some of this comes across especially in the scenes with the two police officers investigating, level-headed Office Daughtry (Sufe Bradshaw) and her doofus partner, Officer Myers (Kyle Howard).

The set for most of the shoot is actually a supposedly haunted mansion in Ojai, California, that was both rented by-the-day, and also served as a place to stay for the cast and crew. Fradkin uses the space incredibly well, making it feel expansive for Val and claustrophobic for Fin at the same time.

There are some nice extras on the Blu-ray, starting with the “Behind the Scenes: The Making of Val” featurette (7 min.). Led by both the director/co-writer, Fradkin and the co-writer/executive producer Victoria Fratz (an engaged couple), it is short and sweet, and more importantly gets the job done. They talk about the production jointly, from how they came up with the idea through pre-production and then the filming itself. It is light and fluffy, and enjoyable.

Next up is a Q&A let by Josh Milligan after the online premier of Val on “Popcorn Frights,” from Dread Central’s channel (40 min.). Via Zoom, it includes Fradkin, Fratz, lead actors Reeves, Mooren, and stand-up corpse, Griffin. There are lots of good stories about the production, though not much about the plot, but since so many of them come from world of comedy, the talk flows well with humor and good heartedness. I also found it interesting that initial filming ended three days before the COVID lockdowns in March 2020.

Also included are two of director Fradkin’s shorts, “Happy Birthday” and “The Ballerina.” I have seen both of these before on YouTube and was very impressed. They both center on obsessions with mirrors and human frailty. I especially liked the latter. Lastly is a couple of trailers for this film, and others for Dread, as well as chapters and a choice for English subtitles.

While playing with comedy and high drama, the acting is (purposefully, I believe) a bit intense, sort of like watching a sit-com style of over-emoting. Not to the level of “Third Rock From the Sun’s” John Lithgow, but the characters are intense and it is played up for humor, and that is nearly a hamming situation.

Please, do not get me wrong, this is an incredibly fun film, from beginning to end, whether you see the ending coming or not. It also has some of the best use of mannequins I can think of since Exhumed (2011).

Review: The Influencer

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

The Influencer
Directed by Meghan Weinstein
Wizard Cats; Daisy Eagle Films;
Meghan Weinstein Films; Breaking Glass Pictures
80 minutes, 2019 / 2021
www.facebook.com/theinfluencermovie

There is an old Media Theory that states that when a technology is added to a culture, it does not just become part of it, it changes everything. Social media is the recent elephant in the room. Influencers started, arguably, with the likes of no-talents (my opinion) like Paris Hilton, and then exploded with the horrendous (again, my opinion) Kardashian family, who made billions of dollars for essentially doing nothing but saying they like something, or showing up at a party for a fee.

While Facebook (and before that Myspace) was the launching pad for many, other platforms such as Instagram and now TikTok has managed to make stars and produce fortunes for people who, essentially, really do not matter, but millions of followers hang on their every word or deed (and, often, dance). That is where this film starts.

Kasia Szarek

In this dramedy, Abbi Rose (Kasia Szarek) is just such an “influencer.” She is chubby, busty, perky on the outside, and vain about herself and “her brand”; she has a huge photo of herself over her couch, for example. And much like Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney, et. al, after nearly a decade of vlogging, Abbi has 1.3 million subscribers that tune into her every video and pays attention to whatever products she can get for free and promote.

The flip side to Abbi is a conniving, abusive person who is nasty to her unpaid interns who actually produce all her online product, as she wheedles a tremendous payload from a major corporation, Nutrocon, through ruthless negotiations. This is a company that, one of its many octopus operations, experiments on animals for cosmetics. As Abbi’s favorite clothing is fur, this does not pose a problem as long as there is enough cash involved. And the poor interns are just going to see more sandwiches for food rather than pay. This includes new gushing intern Trendygirl99 (Thea Cantos), who Abbi pretty much snubs at all times, not even trying to remember her name.

Janiva Zentz

Act two starts with a bang as the home invasion part of the story begins, with four people (named by a numeral, seemingly a nod to Tarantino’s 1992 Reservoir Dogs), numbered two through five; I am going to guess who is One, and though I will not reveal it, I’ll let you know further on if I was correct. Meanwhile, these masked (at least at first) renegades are subversives on different levels, such as Two (Janiva Zentz), who is a hacker screwed out of a patent, Five (Ian Richard Jones), a chemist who made a meth-substitute to make a living, and Four (Victoria D. Wells), an aggressive sexual-harassment whistleblower on (literal) steroids. They each have a bone to pick with corporate America but are also flawed in their own ways. Luckily, we are given time to get to know their personalities a bit.

This group of kidnappers seem to mostly not know each other outside of, as one refers to it, this assignment. This seems like a twisted-PETA kind of action, such as the motif of releasing lab animals, especially with the philosophy of Three (Shantell Yasmine Abeyderra). But there is something else on their minds

Victoria D. Wells

Thing is, Abbi is way more media savvy than the interlopers, making for an interesting back and forth between them. In their own ways, each group/person has their own power over the others, and that plays back and forth in effective ways. And, without giving anything away, things naturally go sideways between the inter-relational dynamic of the group. Add in some unexpected hitches and visits, and the tension (and humor) builds into the third act.

Of course, this is going to be life changing for everyone involved, but will it be for the positive or negative (or both)? Yeah, again, not going to tell, but it is certainly satisfying. There is a bit of social justice preaching done, but it is not a slamming on the head, but rather well worked into the plot. A more subtle message is definitely women power, as the few males involved in the story are, to put it nicely, jerks. Even with their flaws, the women are strong and confident in their roles in the storyline.

Ian Richard Jones

This film looks beautiful with tons of pastel colors, even with the ever-rising tension level. The photography (by Christiana Charalambous) and editing are superb, and keeps on beat with the background music quite well. This is Weinstein’s first feature (after a number of shorts and tv directorial work), and shows an incredible amount of talent, especially for the budget. The screen is filled with lots of bright colors and flashes of upbeat instrumental soundtrack that occasionally hides the sometimes nasty undertones of Abbi and her kidnappers.

Shantell Yasmine Abeyderra

As for the acting, well, this is an experienced troupe, and Weinstein leads them to do their best successfully. Plus, Szarek has years of professional comic acting under her belt, and she uses that background to her advantage, making Abbi at times both a repulsive personality, and a sympathetic heroine. This is definitely her film, though just about everyone else is not far behind.

The pace is pretty consistent with very little “lull” time, so it is quick paced, (as I said) like beats to music.

Oh, and despite a number of red herrings, I was right about the identity of One, the leader of the house invasion group. So there.

 

Review: Rage

 Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the Internet

Rage
Directed by John Balazs
Prima Lux Films; La Rosa Productions; Gravitas Ventures
142 minutes, 2020
www.larosaproductions.com/
www.primaluxfilms.com/

This comes from a land down under; Melbourne, specifically. It is a hybrid crime drama and psychological thriller. It is both gritty and vicious, and fraught with emotion, as well. Think of it as a Scandinavian television murder mystery that spans over half-a-dozen episodes, as there are at least five distinctive acts in the film.

Unlike other revenge films like Death Wish (1974) or perhaps I Spit on Your Grave: The Day of the Woman (1978), where the revenge is a general takedown of either numerous assaulters or a bad guy in general, this one has a very specific purpose.

Matt Theo

An unhappily married couple, Noah (Matt Theo, with a bearded Hugh Jackman vibe) and Madeline (Hayley Beveridge), are coping through their lives, hoping to reconnect but not willing to extend themselves much. Then, after a lot of exposition, two bad guys break in, and wreak havoc on them, leaving bodies, Madeline is roughed up in a much longer than needed scene, and Noah lands in a coma for a while.

There is some nice time jumping in both directions just after the assault, done with slow and deliberate editing, that shows the post-attack period of both Madeline and Noah. We also get introduced to Detective John Bennett (Richard Norton, who has played in a lot of action/martial arts/gladiator films, including one in 1993 called – wait for it – Rage), who heads the investigative team. There are a lot of montages in the film, silent b-roll over emotional music, such as one with Noah re-falling in love with the mentally absent Madeline, and regretting his time with Sophia (attractive Natasha Maymon). Another, later montage scene is segmented between the five main characters, much in the way that Stephen Sondheim tends to do in songs (think of “Quartet” from 1963’s West Side Story, but without lyrics or libretto/dialogue), and each shot of many lasting about 15 to 20 seconds apiece.

Hayley Beveridge

With the introduction of Bennett, the film is also partial police procedural, with both good and bad cops, including Officer Patricia Davidson (Melissa Barias), who was underused, and profane Officer Tommy Wells (Tony Kotsopoulos).

The pace finally picks up (somewhat), when Madeline accuses someone to Noah as the one who attacked her. The revenge stage of the story begins and pulses forward. This is where the previous nearly 2 hours has brought us, and the doors to the story blow wide open. They say revenge is best served cold, but vengeance can also be a snare more full of acid than a venus flytrap.

Most of the time the music is spot-on appropriate, but occasionally it sounds like a soap opera’s piano plinking, such as when Noah and Maddie first get together after the incident. It becomes a bit distracting at moments like this, but again, most of the time it is well-suited for the scenes, especially those with action.

Richard Norton

What honestly confuses me is that the director, John Balazs, has been a professional editor for years, and yet this film, with its pretty simple premise, is 2 hours and 23 minutes. Seriously, you could not find a way to cut this down to 90 minutes or so? This is not a John Wick or MCU action film, though it does somewhat fit into the thriller genre. As a brief example, the two-directional walk when we are introduced to Detective Bennett could easily have been cut down to a few seconds rather than being literally 2 long minutes. It did not advance the story, but rather seems a mood piece. Also, without this being in reference to the acting, which is well done by Tottie Goldsmith, most of the character of Madeline’s psychiatrist could, with one exception, be cut down to two or three quick scenes and, again, not an ounce of story would be lost.

Another issue with the film is that the violence may be too graphic for the soap opera-ish romantic drama audience, and the romantic drama may have the action seekers impatiently waiting for the violence. When it occurs, the ferocity is quite explicit and well done, but if one is not expecting it, it could be off-putting (during a date movie night for most, for example). It firmly has its feet in two different yards, swaying back and forth over the fence between them. It’s almost like it is trying to be two emotionally different films at the same time.

Natasha Maymon

All that being said, let me end with some praise that this release truly deserves: The film is actually incredibly well shot, despite its tendency to be on the dark filtered side, and the acting is pretty solid, especially from the three leads (Theo, Beveridge and Norton, the latter of whom leans toward stoic, but you get that he’s frustrated), but all fare well. As for the story, it is interesting, but pulled like a Stretch Armstrong doll. Despite its leaning towards telenovela material, it addresses the process of violence, grief, recovery and vengeance deeply, hence the time.

Overall, this is a thoughtful piece with some viciousness in a few spots, so it is not necessarily a throw-a-viewing-party-in-the-basement-with-weed-and-drinks kind of film, but rather an introspective look at relationships and the effect of violence placed upon it.