Entertainment Earth

8/30/2015

VENDETTA (2015)

 
Title: Vendetta
Directors: Jen and Sylvia Soska
Writer: Justin Shady
Cast: Dean Cain, Paul "Big Show" White, Micheal Eklund, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Adrain Holmes, Matthew MacCaull
Year: 2015
Min: 90

Detective Mason (Dean Cain) has arrested crime boss Victor Abbott (Paul "Big Show" White), but when Abbott is released on a technicality he heads to Mason's house. There he beats Mason's pretty wife (Kyra Zagorsky) to death. Abbott soon ends up back in the slammer. Afterwards, Mason guns down Abbott's brother and crew in hopes of getting arrested and going to jail, himself. With them both being locked up at the same prison, Mason's plan for vengeance is set in motion. But, he learns that there is a criminal enterprise being run from the prison, itself, with someone being above Abbott, himself.

The fourth full length feature film from the Soska sisters continues to show that they can do wrong. Vendetta is a solid and entertaining revenge/ prison film. While, this is the first time they have moved away from the horror genre; they manage to keep their horror influences clearly on their sleeves.

While, the script by Justin Shady breaks no new ground and is fairly unoriginal, the movie is raised above being a throw away film, thanks to the talent behind and in front of the camera. The Soska's prove that they are very good at directing hard hitting (literally in many cases action). This is a movie where the red stuff flows freely and might just be their most brutal and gruesome movie, yet. And, unlike the ultra-violent Dead Hooker in a Trunk  (the movie that they made that comes closest to the gore quanta on this), this one is played straight up and serious. It moves at a breakneck pace, rarely stopping or slowing down. And, the aforementioned brutality includes stabbings, gory squibs, broken necks, bloody beat-downs, and lots more graphic and bloody mayhem all of which help it rank among the bloodiest movie of this kind, around.

The acting is surprisingly strong. And, while everyone involved is good, it's the two leads that really shine. Dean Cain is a legitimate badass. I am really not fan of Lois and Clark, but he leaves Superman far behind delivering something much closer to the Punisher. Those expecting a goody two shoes Cain should look elsewhere. Then, there is Paul White, better known as the Big Show in WWE (and the Giant before that in WCW), who simply kills it (pun intended). I did not at all expect him to be this damn good. He plays a truly evil and intimating villain. And, while his huge size certainly comes into this equation, it wouldn't mean shit unless he has the talent to back it up. And, thank God he does.

In all Vendetta is a kick ass, bad motherfucker of a movie. Thanks to the huge talent of everyone involved, what could have been pedestrian is raised far and above it's content. Action packed, tough as nails, and bloody as hell this is an action movie that will please those who like their action movies with a definite edge and far away removed from Hollywood's typically bloodless PG13 action tripe. Another notch in the Soska twins film making belt, this might be the best movie WWE Studios has yet to put out.

*** out of ****



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