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.
Click here to order.
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