Tuesday, October 27, 2015

FINAL GIRL: TWIST ON REVENGE FILMS



There have been revenge films since movie began being made. Perhaps the most famous of these was DEATH WISH, the Charles Bronson starring film that had him taking out street thugs to the cheers of movie goers who were tired of being victims of crime. With FINAL GIRL we get a twist on the revenge film nearing what was accomplished in OLDBOY.

The film opens with young Veronica being questioned by William (Wes Bentley). Her parents have just died and she seems nonplussed by that fact. With each question William gets to know more about the mind of Veronica and when he finds her suitable for his needs he offers to take care of her from now on. What that need is is to create a perfect assassin, a weapon that can take out his revenge on those responsible for the death of his wife and daughter.

Twelve years pass and Veronica (Abigail Breslin) is now grown. We witness her training at the hands of William. A brutal task master when need be, he helps Veronica to learn how to cope with any and all obstacles that might come her way. He takes her shoes when she’s in the woods, he gives her a cocktail of drugs to prepare her for what it’s like to battle under duress and he shows her that a gun isn’t the way to handle things because bullets eventually run out. When he feels she is finally ready, the pair set out on their task.

The victims in mind are a predatory bunch. While we might question William’s moral sense early on it becomes apparent why he’s taking the route he has all these years. The group of young men he is about to turn Veronica loose on are serial killers. Four best friends with sociopathic qualities, this group of well-dressed killers will pick a young blonde, invite her to a party and then turn her lose in the forest while they track her down and kill her. While it’s never clearly stated one has to assume one of their victims was William’s daughter.

Veronica does some reconnaissance by talking to one of the young men’s girlfriend and understand then that these men have no sense of right and wrong, they are incapable of love and affection. There only joy comes from the pain and suffering they instill in others. She suggest the girl can do better and then preps for her confrontation.

It comes easily. The group’s ringleader Jameson (Alexander Ludwig) sees Veronica in the diner they frequent, an angelic vision with blonde hair in bright light, and approaches her. He casually and with an aristocratic air invites her to a party the next night. She accepts and the following night meets the rest of the group. Promising that others are on the way to meet them she goes along and finds herself in the forest with this group of tuxedo wearing young men. She knows what they are. They have no clue what they have gotten themselves into. Their night of “fun” will soon come face to face with William’s weapon of revenge.

To begin with no one should take this movie as a reality based film. It is a story plain and simple that is shot in such a way as to be more artistic than one would expect given the material being witnessed. While this could have fallen away into the B-movie category the performances by all involved and the style with which it is shot make it more than that. Directed by photographer Tyler Shields it becomes obvious early on that he has an eye for composition with his choices of light and dark, the framing of his movie in all scenes. It’s not that it’s overbearing but it take the lowbrow medium and elevates it.

What was nice to see in this film was the Shields didn’t resort to the least common denominator that most directors would, having the woman in question appear in various forms of undress before she took on her aggressors. Overused in films like the I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE series it carries no weight any longer and is just an exploitation device that no longer shocks as it once did. Instead he makes Veronica a very empowered young woman. And while after 12 years of training she has no problem killing someone there is also a moral base for her actions that is displayed in the comments and discussions she has with William. Viewers could find her a scary person to come into contact with but at the same time you can imagine her before a jury that would sympathize with her every move and vindicate her with a not guilty verdict.

The movie comes to DVD on the heels of Halloween and would make a great movie to watch on that night or any other. It doesn’t rely on blood or gore and tells an interesting story that’s done so well it might be worth additional viewings. I know it’s one I’ll add to my collection.

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