Rating: B
Dir: Steven Kastrissios
Star: Peter Marshall, Caroline Marohasy, Brad McMurray, Jack Henry
Well, this is a nasty, brutal and grubby piece of work. And all the better for it, I should add. Because it is Revenge with a capital R, possessing a sense of realism that’s quite refreshing. This isn’t John Wick tapping a dozen people in the head over the course of thirty seconds. Here, it feels more like thirty seconds is the minimum time it takes anybody to breathe their last. When people here die, they die hard. This is usually at the literal hands of Christian Forteski (Marshall), whose daughter Jesse died of a drug overdose, shortly after a porn shoot. He’s not happy about it, to put it very mildly.
By and large, that is the extent of the plot. It’s mostly Christian, working his way through everyone (more or less) involved in his daughter’s death. From the man who distributed the resulting video-tapes, through the man who owns the martial arts gym which was the location, to the actors involved in the scene. He’s going full scorched-earth on everybody. There is a subplot about him befriending a young woman, Alice (Marohasy). It’s clear she is intended as a stand-in for his daughter, but to me, felt like the weakest element here. It’s a diversion from the undiluted purity of Forteski’s vengeance. This doesn’t soft-pedal things. While the subject matter is perhaps similar to 8mm, in terms of attitude, its closest cousin might be Get Carter, with its utterly unstoppable protagonist.
We don’t get much background on Christian. A few flashbacks of him and his daughter. But it’s not necessary. Knowing the situation, no explanation of motivation is necessary. Though I do confess to some qualms about the point, made more than once, that Jesse acted of her own free will. Nobody made her take drugs or make porn. Christian does not care, and I wonder if there’s an element of guilt here. Is he trying to take care of his late daughter, in a way and because he failed to do while she was alive? Nor does someone go from zero to junkie whore immediately. Where was he then? It’s an awkward question, the film chooses largely to leave unaddressed – perhaps wisely.
There’s nothing special about Marshall’s appearance either: he looks like a pissed-off version of Jasper Carrott [Kids! Ask your parents!] But that very “everyman” approach works for the film, making it easier to put yourself in his shoes. At least, until he starts wielding the crow-bar, fish-hooks (top) and other implements of his righteous revenge, which I dare not describe. It’s a good performance from the actor, who is barely able to function due to the marginally controlled rage, perpetually boiling within him. Nobody else is much more than a cypher, a blank canvas on which Christian can paint his righteous wrath. Does all of this solve anything? Arguable. It certainly can’t bring Jesse back. However, this probably will increase sales of hand-sanitizer.