REVENGE (2017) (Review)

Title: Revenge
Writer/ Director: Coralie Fargeat
Cast: Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz (as Matilda Lutz), Kevin Janssens, Vincent Colombe
Min: 108
Year: 2017 (released in the US 2018)

Beautiful, American born Jen (Matilda Lutz) is in a secret relationship with married and wealthy French man Richard (Kevin Janssens). Together, they are on a secret getaway at a house that he owns in the middle of the desert. There, he will later meet up with two of his hunting buddies, Stan (Vincent Colombe) and Dimitri (Guillaume Bouchède). But, they end up arriving a day early, surprising the couple.

That night they have a fun night of drinks. Jen dances provocatively, as the men have their eyes on her body. The next day, while Richard is away, Stan tries to get Jen to have sex with him, claiming that by the way she was dancing, she was coming on to him. When she shoots him, he gets pissed off and rapes her. Dimitri sees what is happening and does nothing, ignoring what is happening. When Richard comes back, Stan tells him what has happened. Richard tries to pay off Jen, so that she won't tell anyone. To which she responds that she will tell Richard's wife everything. They chase after her. But, as they reach a cliff, Richard pushes her off of it. She falls and lands on a tree becoming impaled. She doesn't die, though, and soon she begins her revenge on the three scumbags.

Revenge is a French (that has both English and French dialogue) rape-revenge movie that has been receiving much deserved massive critical adoration. It is without question the best movie of the sub-genre since Abel Ferrara's masterful Ms. 45 and one of the very best movies of the year. In fact, the flick is a modern genre masterpiece that will be studied and talked about in the years to come.

Writer/ director Coralie Fargeat has made one of the most exciting and breathtaking directorial debuts in the genre in many a moon. It is has a strong and true feminist view which sets apart from many of the most renowned movies this kind, all of which are made by men. Her message is clear and very much in key with the current world of the "me too" movement. It clearly states that no matter how a woman is dressed or however one might perceive her behavior to be, no is fucking no, and that is the end of it. So, don't be a fucking scumbag.

At the beginning of the movie, the camera ogles and worships the beauty of Jen. The way her body is framed and centered on acts as the male eye. But, she is more than a sex object. And, as she begins her bloody vengeance she becomes  a strong and powerful character, that we cheer on as she takes on the pieces of shit who wronged her in such horrible manners.

Fargeat is also great at breeding tension. The camera follows the hunted and the hunters, raising the blood and getting your pulse going. You hope and cheer as she offs the next asshole, and one worries that she doesn't get herself hurt or worse. The camera also always makes the environment clear and easy for the audience to understand, adding to the suspense. The pitch perfect editing and cutting, many times back and forth, further adds to pulse pounding, edge of your seat feel.

Beyond that, the movie is beautiful to look at. I am only referring to Lutz' inherit beauty. The movie's colors pop and blister, especially in the desert heat. Fargeat also makes the violence extremely graphic, including some of the most blood spraying squibs you are likely to see and sets drenched in splattered blood.

All four of the actors are excellent. Our three villains are detestable male chauvinist pigs, bought to reality by the actors portraying them. They never enter the realm of camp or of over-the-top indulgence. Janssens, in particular, makes for villain that you cannot wait till he gets his comeuppance. 

Lutz, though, is the movie's true star. And, this film never let's you forgot that. She is the centerpiece and the heart of the story. As such, the actress does an amazing job of bringing Jen to life. This is a tour-de-force role and the single breakthrough performance of the year, so far.

Revenge is an unbridled masterpiece. It takes the rape-revenge movie into feminist territory that it has long flirted but never fully committed to. The movie is expertly directed and edited. Intense and brutally violent, it grabs your attention and never lets it go. Beautiful to look and with a never more appropriate than now theme, the flick is a timely masterwork. With excellent acting and a career defining performance by Lutz, it achieves cinematic success after cinematic success. Available on DVD and Blu-Ray and exclusively streaming on Shudder, there is no excuse for fans of revenge and quality, but bloody, genre film-making to miss this one. 

4 out of 4

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MAKING OFF and BUNNYMAN (Reviews)

 

I have two reviews up for best-horror-movies.com. They are of two low budget horror flicks, both different in every way possible. One is for French found footage flick Making Off. The other is for slasher flick Bunnyman. The links are below:

Making Off: http://www.best-horror-movies.com/review?name=making-off-2012-review
Bunnyman: http://www.best-horror-movies.com/review?name=bunnyman-2011-review
 

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CHIMERES (Review)

Title: Chimeres
Director: Oliver Beguin
Writers: Oliver Beguin and Colin Vettier
Cast: Yasna Kohoutova, Yannick Rosset, and Catriona Maccoll 

On vacation in Romania, Alexandre (Yannick Rosset), a photographer, and his pretty girlfriend Livia (Yasna Koehoutova) enjoy the beauty of the city. After getting drunk at a bar, they leave only to have him get hit by a car. At the hospital, he gets transfused with contaminated blood.  He only notices this when he reads an article in the paper (well she reads it to him, as he can't read Romanian). He begins to get paranoid. But, what seemed to be all in his mind at first turns into reality, as he saves himself and her from getting mugged by a gang of thugs. Soon, he must quench his blood thirst, while she, being the loving GF that she is, gives him a hand.

I had the pleasure of catching Chimeres two weeks ago at TromaDance in Brooklyn, NY. It features some excellent acting by the whole cast. Particularly good are our two leads who make the movie work even if at first it seems like the premise might be silly (though it ends it up not being so, thankfully). The transformation of Alexandre is handled very nicely by Rosset. He does a fine job of going from nice to paranoid to killing machine. The gorgeous Koehoustova is also her role. She's so good in her performance that I fully accept her staying with him. And, the film makes you cheer her on as the it progresses all the way to the end. In many ways, her character is a us, as she is the most rateable person in the movie. She also gets naked and shows her wondrous, small boobies on camera. She even takes a literal bloodbath. Score! Euro horror fans will be super pleased that the gorgeous Italian scream queen Catriona (The Beyond) Maccoll has a small but well done role in it as well.

While, this is certainly great, there is one thing that people might have a problem with at first. It's really slow. And, I admit I kinda struggled with it at times. I also wasn't fully sold at first with the vampiric disease. But, the last third of the film I was sold on and was completely into it. From here on it becomes a full throttle action film and kicks major fucking ass! It turns super exciting and ultra-violent.

During the film's climax, the action itself hits a 10 on the meter. You will end up cheering your ass off and really loving it just the way I did. The fight choreography is excellent. And, what I really ove about these scenes, is that you see all the action. It doesn't cut away or has that annoying MTV style editing that American action filmmakers seem to jerk-off to and spray on the camera lens. It all leads to a beautifully done and perfectly handled and ending the proceedings.

The excellent makeup FX is bloody well done. Among the gore included are literal bloodbaths, splattering blood, throat rippings, bludgeonings, bitings, and more. Another highlight is Beguin's directing. This may be his first film, but you know he has a stellar future in the genre ahead of him. The movie is gorgeous looking and proves to be another well-made hit from France. Combine this with the editing and you have one of the best looking vampire films, along with Byzantium, in recent memory.

Chimeres is well worth you giving it your time and patience. Sure you may think it drags at first and you might not even really get into it, but stick with it. Because the payoff is just to fucking badass for you to stop it or, even worse, miss completely. This one ain't on DVD yet, but when it comes out be sure to see it. Causes it really is a stylish loving tribute to European horror by way of a Crazies/ 28 Days Later spin on bloodsuckers, with a good mix of drama and killer action.

*** out of ****

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