amirkhaw Reviews

Monolith (2016)

Cybertrucks are bad. M'kay?

[6/10 · 3 June 2024]

Black Mirror has pretty much cornered the market when it comes to the dark side of (future) technology. Movies like Monolith are always going to have a hard time escaping that shadow. Nevertheless, Monolith does tell a compelling story and engages more specifically on an emotional level rather than looking to make any social commentary on where high-tech may lead us to in the coming years.

The barebones cast works rather well. The car itself may have been rather impressive in 2016, but by now it's probably (almost) on par with the automotive tech that's already available. Interstingly, the SUV in question did kind of remind me of Tesla's Cybertruck, even though that thing would hit the market three years after this movie was made.

I did have my issues with some of the mom's decisions, but then I can rationalize that the situation was so dire that she would have been in a panicked mental state. The tension is quite good in places and makes for a fairly decent watch, but I would have preferred a little more spice to it all. Overall, Monolith is fine for a rainy Sunday afternoon.

The VelociPastor (2018)

The Hooker and the T-Rex

[8/10 · 3 June 2024]

From reading the synopsis alone, you should already know if this is going to be your bag or not. But one of the bigger questions is, does the humour hit? Well, one of the first lines in the movie is (after the "missing VFX reel" of Doug's parents dying), "So your parents died, Doug. It's what parents do. They die on you." And it's delivered so perfectly that it's hard not to just fall in love with this movie already. So yes, the humour is absolutely on point.

It's hard to fault a movie that doubles down on being batshit crazy and nonsensical because it's just so entertaining. At only 71 minutes, it's a breeze to get through and is absolutely one of those movies that's very rewatchable.

Last Summer (2023)

L'été dernier

[8/10 · 22 April 2024]

Ten years have passed since the brilliant writer/director Catherine Breillat graced us with a new project. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard Last Summer was gearing up for its physical media release. Even more interestingly, this movie is based on the Danish movie Queen of Hearts (OT: Dronningen) which I also adore.

I would like to leave any direct comparisons between the two movies aside, as I believe each movie should be able to exist based on its own merits.

My first impression of Last Summer is that the movie is beautifully shot. Breillat invites us to sidestep the norms of society for one summer without getting entangled in any legal or moral subtleties. Furthermore, her direction and clear understanding of emotion, tension, and sexuality help change the perception of this relationship drama from something rather crude to an exciting affair of forbidden desire.

Anne (Léa Drucker) and Théo (Samuel Kircher) absolutely sizzle as they become drawn to each other in the early stages and the evolution of their connection feels organic. The movie remains grounded, however, never crossing the line into outright melodrama or titillation. And in the end, I was left wanting to see more. Last Summer could have gone for three hours and I would have happily been on board. A strong recommendation, especially if you haven't yet seen Queen of Hearts.

Huesera: The Bone Woman (2022)

La Huesera

[8/10 · 21 April 2024]

In Mexican folklore, La Huesera (aka "The Bone Woman") tells of a woman who searches for wolf bones in the desert. She sings them back to life and her revival is said to transform into a woman. This is the background story for Michelle Garza Cervera's 2022 directorial debut. Die Knochenfrau is not a typical horror movie however, if it should even be called that at all. My best assessment would be to call it a slow-burn psychological drama with supernatural, folklore, and horror elements sprinkled lightly throughout.

Valeria (Natalia Solián) plays a pregnant woman who is unsure that the life she has is the life she wants. The growing number of evil visions that bring her life into disarray allude to the unhappiness in her soul. What I like about this movie is that there's no narrative hand-holding to guide you through. There are moments and backstory reveals that give you just enough insight into what is going on; you just need to pay attention and connect the dots yourself. This may be quite a big ask for audiences who have been trained to turn their brain off when watching (American) movies, so repeat viewings may help in this case.

I am not a fan of jump scares (because I find them lazy), and although there are a few here, Die Knochenfrau primarily relies on disturbing imagery and an uneasy atmosphere to build tension. Overall, I found Die Knochenfrau to be a refreshing and unexpected watch. The movie has already amassed a number of significant awards at film festivals such as Tribeca and Sitges. I would give this a strong recommendation to anyone looking for something a little deeper than usual.

La Exorcista (2022)

Snake Demon

[7/10 · 12 March 2024]

Although there are quite a few exorcism-themed movies around, only a handful are probably worth your while. I must admit to enjoying a good exorcism movie, but only if it's done right. Since La Exorcista was an official selection at the SITGES 2022 International Fantastic Film Festival, I had high hopes that this movie would be at least fairly enjoyable.

Director Adrian Garcia Bogliano has made an effort to dispose of many of the genre tropes, such as avoiding a single location narrative and the typical male priest vs. Possessed female. This gives La Exorcista a slightly fresh(er) dynamic. The excellent María Evoli stars, which is also quite exciting as I have been a fan of her performances since seeing We Are The Flesh (2016). And once again, her performance here is immaculate and involving, carrying the film for the entire runtime.

The effects in La Exorcista vary from great to slightly wonky, with mostly the CGI being the offender. However, there are some really creepy visuals throughout with some innovative sequences, such as when a possessed woman emulates a snake and slithers into the darkness. It was such a WTF moment, I had to replay it again.

Overall, La Exorcista offers an atmospheric good time for horror fans and María Evoli is also quickly becoming a genre favourite.

El hombre del saco (2023)

Decent Origins Horror

[6/10 · 11 March 2024]

The term "Boogeyman" has been widely appropriated to intimidate children into behaving well, fearing the threat of an unknown who will take them away if they don't oblige. Origins features the myth deriving from the Almería (Spain) region, and it's nice to see a local interpretation of the figure.

With children being abducted in regular time patterns, some of the plot points seem quite familiar. In fact, the movie tends to lean heavily on popular influences such as Stranger Things, IT, and Jeepers Creepers. This is a shame because El hombre del saco should have been bathed in Spanish folklore rather than American influences, so it's a bit of missed opportunity.

Origins is however a cut above many straight to VOD horror features, as there are some genuinely creepy scenes and visuals. The production values and effects are also done well enough to provide a creepy atmosphere.

Overall, Origins is a decent entry into the "Boogeyman universe". Plus if you're a Stranger Things fan, you'll probably enjoy this as well.

Jan Dara: The Beginning (2012)

The Beginning

[8/10 · 14 February 2024]

Based on a 1966 bestseller, Jan Dara had previously been adapted for the big screen in 2001. Since I am familiar with neither of those versions, I am seeing this story for the first time without any preconceptions.

Also known as "Jan Dara - The Beginning", this version serves as the first of a two parter, with "The Finale" being released one year later.

Jan Dara is essentially a coming-of-age story. It's obvious from Jan's younger years, that he's influenced by his father's manipulative and aggressive sexual nature. In one scene, he asks his loving aunt to nurse him because he doesn't have a mother. His aunt hesitantly obliges and Jan uses this opportunity as his first sexual experience. Luckily however, Jan grows into a good looking young man, so he is easily able to use his charm, in contrast to his father, to gain the fancy of many of the women that populate their household.

The story can be somewhat melodramatic, which is absolutely fine considering it deals with the themes of family and heirarchy.

Overall, I found Jan Dara to be a quite involving story. The erotisicm is generously sprinkled throughout, making this an easy watch. Hopefully part 2 will get a release soon enough.

Sex Weather (2018)

En la Cama

[7/10 · 12 February 2024]

Judging by the synopsis and the DVD cover art, you may be inclined (as I was) to think that this is just a cheap sexy film. To my surprise, that was not the case at all.

Much like the Spanish language movie "En la Cama", Sex Weather is a romantic gesture of two souls connecting by spending the day together and talking (okay, they do have sex as well). But what I really liked was that the dialogue was quite fun throughout. In the end, Sex Weather ended up being quite a romantic film.

For a movie that mainly only features two characters for the entire runtime, Al'Jaleel McGhee and Amber Stonebraker do a fine job and the growing chemistry between the two is absolutely well portrayed. It reminds of that whimsical time at the start of a relationship where one could just talk all day and hang on to each other's every word.

Other points of note are that Sydney and Darrel are an interracial couple, which still isn't exactly the norm when it comes to cookie-cutter romantic movies, especially the ones that come out of Hollywood. I mean it's always a Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant or a Mathew Mcconaughey and Kate Hudson - but never a Daniel Kaluuya and Scarlett Johansson because that's waaaaay too risky. So this was a nice little change up.

It also doesn't hurt that Amber Stonebraker looks a lot like Katy Perry in this movie.

Overall, Sex Weather was way better than I expected, and I could have actually watched this with my partner on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Girls on Film (2023)

Rain

[6/10 · 12 February 2024]

Rain (aka. Girls on Film) is first and foremost a bit of softcore titillation, much like you'll find on late-night TV. It's not too explicit, has a basic story and allows the two protagonists to undress and have intimate relations. It also throws in a bit of mild drama for the sake of tension.

The pros here are that the girls are attractive, it's nicely filmed and there are a few dark(ish) themes. On the flip side, the acting is very bad, the dialogue isn't great and it's not really explicit enough.

Saying that however, the story and the acting probably aren't the reasons why you're here in any case. If you're a fan of either of the actresses or just want to have a little harmless fun (which is absolutely couples-friendly), then there are worse ways to spend your time.

Rebel (2022)

Rebel with a Ka(mal)Wasaki

[10/10 · 9 February 2024]

Hollywood really can't get over itself enough to produce anything that doesn't resemble flag-waiving American propaganda when it comes to the conflict of terror, especially when it concerns Middle Easterners. Which is why I was hopeful that Rebel would offer something different.

Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, they previously had the hard task of making Bad Boys relevant again (and succeeding). And yet, here their talent is even more obvious when it's free from the framework of a Hollywood blockbuster. The tone is deadly serious, it's gritty and harrowing, the cinematography will have you believe you're watching a big budget movie. Yet there are at least three musical and dance numbers seamless integrated within the story, which do not even seem out of place. I am not sure how they did that either, but it worked for me.

Furthermore, there are many languages spoken in the movie, English being in the minority. This may admittedly jar a lot of moviegoers, yet I found it authentic.

Overall, Rebel is epic from start to finish. Very few movies have recently moved me like this one. This is one of the strongest movies to be released in 2022.

The Senior Class (2016)

Graduation Day

[7/10 · 9 January 2024]

The Senior Class caught my eye, not only because it's an adult-themed animated feature, but also because it's written by Yeon Sang-ho (Train to Busan, Peninsula, The King of Pigs).

Featuring coming-of-age themes such as adolescence, friendship, love and sex, The Senior Class isn't your regular romantic drama at all. It's a male POV narrative mainly about wish fulfillment and the dangers of it, with a very fragile friendship triangle at the center.

Overall, The Senior Class offers up quite a bleak story that has some devastating points to make. But I was thoroughly mesmerised by the beautiful animation.

Try to avoid the trailer, as it gives too much away.

Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance (2023)

Heaven Knows

[7/10 · 8 January 2024]

Growing up in Southend-on-Sea in Essex, I am old enough to remember the uneasy feeling surrounding the Rettendon murders. The first Rise of the Footsoldier was completely on point with its general tone and laid out Carlton Leach's (true) story in an enjoyable enough manner. The movie won so much goodwill in my mind, that I have been on board for all of the subsequent sequels.

Now six movies deep and running solely with purely fictional storylines, that goodwill has wained quite a bit, especially after the weaker efforts in Marbella and Origins. Vengeance, however, managed to gross the highest box office of the entire franchise, and I am curious to see exactly why.

In case you are unfamiliar, Pat Tate was gunned down in the first part of the franchise. All of the subsequent movies are prequels to this event, revolving around Pat and his cohorts and their escapades in and around Essex. Craig Fairbrass is getting on a bit now, but it still looks like he could punch the head off of a regular Joe. He's not quite as psychotically frightening as he has been previously, opting here more for a more quiet "say the wrong word and I'll smash ya" type performance. Vengeance is a lot less goofy without the presence of Tony Tucker and Craig Rolfe and the bad wig department (who should be thoroughly flogged in the market square for some of the worst hairpieces in a non-comedy movie).

If you're familiar with UK TV, you'll probably make the obvious comparison with Eastenders. And yes, Vengeance does seem like a long, more violent episode of Eastenders. But a revenge storyline is something that's easy to get behind.

Overall, I would say that Rise of the Footsoldier: Vengeance is one of the franchises' more solid efforts. I was under the impression, however, that this would be the last movie in the franchise, yet the finale sets up another sequel which, judging from the box office take, won't take long to greenlight.

Cocaine Shark (2023)

Where's the coke?

[4/10 · 17 November 2023]

If you've seen Cocaine Bear and are excited to see what Cocaine Shark has to offer, may be you should hold your horses. Originally titled Kanizame Shakurabu, this movie was renamed to shamelessly cash in on Cocaine Bear, to the point where the cover art for the DVD/blu-ray is literally marketing a movie that doesn't actually exist. To be clear, there's very few sharks in this and even less cocaine.

Cocaine Shark may actually have found life just selling exactly what it is, a very silly B movie featuring mutated creatures, bad acting, and cheap effects. It does at least remain humourous, since the movie is very well aware of how bad it is, and stop motion and cheesy graphics are always a pleasure.

Cocaine Shark feels like a student movie, or something that would have aired on the SyFy Channel. It's not as bad as it seems, but also not good either.

Deep Fear (2023)

Cocaine Shark

[7/10 · 14 November 2023]

First things first, Deep Fear is not a shark movie. If you put that expectation out of the way, you may be able to enjoy this movie without any misjudged preconceptions. I would best describe Deep Fear as a trouble-at-sea crime-thriller... but with (a limited amount of) sharks. That said, I found myself enjoying this much more than I expected.

Once the plot kicks into high gear, the tension rises and it becomes quite exciting. And for such a low budget movie, the shark CGI is actually decent. If you like Malta, you'll probably enjoy the cinematography as well.

On the flip side, Mãdãlina Ghenea (as Naomi) is quite a poor actress. It makes me wonder why she was cast at all... but then the gratuitous shots of her curves are probably reason enough. Aside from some very groan-inducing tropes, there were some missed opportunities which would have made Deep Fear stand out just a little more. Like when a shark bites into a big bag of cocaine, the director (probably) said "No no, there's already a Cocaine Shark movie, let's forget the shark is now higher than a kite and just go back to the crime stuff".

Overall, I liked the "Dead Calm" type scenario and Deep Fear has some good thrills.

Pig Killer (2022)

Momma's Boy

[8/10 · 9 November 2023]

Serial killers will always be a curiosity for many of us. It takes us to the edge of society, and we are able to witness the most heinous acts of depravity from the safety of our armchairs. And although Netflix has a good stronghold on qualitative serial killer documentaries, Pig Killer chooses to go with the "based on a true story" moniker and run with it.

When we first meet Pickton, he's already well-established in his routine. There's very little insight into his beginnings, except for brief flashbacks of him having rather passionate sex with his own mother (played by the legendary Ginger Lynn). This is probably the most unsubtle way to suggest that Pickton himself was born out of depravity and humiliation. In fact, when Pickton picks up his first victim Brenda (Bai Ling), he asks her to call him "Piggy". This could possibly be the handle that he was bullied by since many had also commented on his farm-like body odour.

The "Brenda incident" as we shall call it, is probably the best insight into Pickton's misogynistic rage. And her murder is only the beginning, as we're then treated to some necrophilia, dismemberment, and disposal - all under the watchful eye of Balthazar, his muscle-bound hog.

What is rather odd (I found) is the tongue-in-cheek approach taken to the proceedings. Pickton isn't painted as the embodiment of evil as such, but rather a misguided pervert who happens to kill women. And there are subtle (and not so subtle) attempts at dark humour strewn about the place. This does give the movie an entertainment factor, well, before you have to slap yourself on the wrist and remind yourself that you shouldn't be enjoying such sleaze at all.

Overall, Pig Killer is more enjoyable than I would like to admit. Jake Busey does his dad proud with his own shade of mentally deranged and if you're a hardened horror movie fan, Pig Killer is a real treat.

Someday We'll Tell Each Other Everything (2023)

Who said romance is dead...

[7/10 · 31 October 2023]

A dirty and old(ish), somewhat unattractive brute starts advancing on the local 17 year old beauty. Unfortunately for everybody, he gives off a major rapey vibe. Their first meeting is literally him groping her without consent.

Since her boyfriend is very goofy, she eventually gives in to the brute and allows him to take her very roughly and a borderline sexually abusive affair ensues.

It's a German movie, so this counts as a romantic comedy.

The lack of diversity is fine. This is set in early 90's East Germany and people of colour and the disabled obviously hadn't been invented yet.

The cinematographer needs a big raise though.

The Goldsmith (2022)

Don't breathe, but you can if you want...

[8/10 · 13 October 2023]

I always find home invasion thrillers to be particularly chilling, because the horror is brought right into your own safe space. The decent ones make me feel so anxious, that I put a baseball bat into the umbrella stand for a good while.

In any case, it's not a new concept that the victims are able to turn the tables, but it's an adrenaline rush to watch. I mean who doesn't enjoy seeing bad types provoke the wrong people and get an overdose of comeuppance?

Vincenzo Ricchiuto's debut feature is thoroughly engaging for the first act. The tension build is well constructed and as much of what is happening remains a mystery, it's intriguing enough to have you already searching for clues. Antonio and Giovanna are great as the elderly couple because they're so fragile and sweet but simultaneously quite vicious.

The payoff is sadly somewhat generic and could have been more imaginative. I have to say though, I did rewind that final shot just because it was so completely odd (you'll see what I mean).

Overall, this is a solid home invasion thriller that is enjoyable enough.

What the Waters Left Behind: Scars (2022)

Ghost Town

[7/10 · 12 October 2023]

The 2017 movie had all the ingredients to mix an awesome horror movie... it was gritty, had some gore, and a rather dark tone. Yet the What the Waters Left Behind didn't quite get over the mark to make itself memorable. Some five years later, we are now presented with a sequel and I am certainly curious as to what returning director Nicolás Onetti (this time without his co-directing brother) has in store for us this time.

Based on true events, the city of Epecuén spent a quarter of a century underwater. When the waters eventually pulled back, no one wanted to return. The images of the broken-down ghost town already give off quite a unique and creepy vibe. There's a distinct familiarity with Scars, however. The dwelling family of cannibals is somewhat reminiscent of the Wrong Turn or The Hills Have Eyes movies. The brutality the band members face during their period of captivity is quite upsetting, but nothing that hardened horror fans won't already be accustomed to.

At only 85 minutes, the pacing is quite swift. In fact, if there's one complaint about this movie, it would be the short run time. I would personally have welcomed a slower pace with a little more insight into the inner workings of the family and how they survive, as well as more time with the band members during their tour.

On the positive side, the brutality and spats of gore are on point. And the band members (with Carla from the opposing team) are quite attractive.

Overall I liked Scars a little more than the previous movie. It's exactly what you would expect from a movie of this type and it's a breeze to get through.

When the Rain Falls (2022)

Nikkatsu Reboot

[8/10 · 5 October 2023]

When the Rain Falls is a further entry into the Nikkatsu Roman Porno reboot series. Director Shûsuke Kaneko takes the helm this time, who is mostly known for his Godzilla and Death Note movies.

Although nothing is ever subtle about Nikkatsu movies, Shûsuke handles the relationship drama in a rather restrained fashion. Yes, there is plenty of sex and nudity as one would expect, but it never feels exploitative or just there for the sake of titillation. The story is grounded in reality and the emotional decisions the characters make are believable. Hazuki and Shiori's first intimate encounter is especially exciting. And although the narrative is rather basic overall, there's always that extra flair because foreign movies just hit differently.

The actors are all well-placed. Sawada is particularly good as the villainous cheating husband. He evokes this weird gross-out vibe, maybe because he looks like a teenager who is wearing a fake old man costume.

Overall, When the Rain Falls achieves what it sets out to do and is another fine entry into the Roman Porno series.

Rule 34 (2022)

If it exists...

[7/10 · 2 October 2023]

I find it hard to ignore obscure world cinema titles that generate a buzz by winning the top award at renowned festivals, such as at the 2022 Locarno Film Festival. It's also been a long while since I last saw a Brazilian movie, making this one ripe for my watchlist.

In case you're wondering, the title "Rule 34" refers to an Internet meme that states "If it exists, there is porn of it. No exceptions." How this specifically factors into the movie is ponderous though.

Right from the first frame, Rule 34 is sexually provocative and (somewhat) explicit. Director Júlia Murat has carefully selected a black, bisexual protagonist and we follow her journey as she experiences asphyxiation, BDSM, interracial threesomes, and more for the first time.

There is a political-laden subtext, which includes racism, colonialism, and toxic (possibly even heteronormative) patriarchalism for example. This allows Rule 34 to level up somewhat and set itself aside from similar movies that deep dive into the world of adult entertainment and sexual discovery.

Saying that, Rule 34 isn't for everyone. Especially the scenes of asphyxiation look particularly unnerving, since those types of imagery have mostly been reserved for horror movies until now and have rarely been sexualized onscreen.

Rule 34 is a solid movie and ticks all of the boundary-pushing boxes that I love about independent world cinema.

Emanuelle's Revenge (2022)

Emanuelle's Revenge

[8/10 · 28 September 2023]

The name Emanuelle (with its various spellings) will forever be linked to some of the most notorious erotic movies in cinema history, thanks to Sylvia Kristel and Laura Gemser. So it's an easy guess that Emanuelle - Sinnliche Rache will want to follow a similar (and sexy) path.

Surprisingly (to me at least), Emanuelle - Sinnliche Rache is a remake of Joe D'Amato's 1975 movie Emanuelle e Françoise (Le sorelline). Now even though I am admittedly a fan of Joe D'Amato's work, his movies are quite dated and are mostly known for the wrong reasons entirely.

So what does Emanuelle - Sinnliche Rache get right? I knew very little about this movie beforehand, so it was nice to see this reinvention of a familiar plot.

The actors/actresses are all good looking and there's plenty of topless nudity, albeit none of it excessive or prolonged. The story really does make the effort to be intriguing, which is great as I was worried this would simply dissolve into a senseless softcore affair.

The first half of the movie does play out like a TV movie, but in a harmless and enjoyable way. It's the last act however that really changes the tone, becoming quite dark and mean. The act of revenge (and the catalyst for it) are handled emotionally well.

Overall, this is quite a good recommendation for a date night movie if you're looking for something a little titillating but with a solid and interesting story to support it.

Antiporno (2016)

Colourful Chaos

[9/10 · 13 July 2023]

As part of a limited revival marking its 45th anniversary, Nikkatsu commissioned five movies to be made as part of the Roman Porno Reboot Project, following the same traditional concept as the 70s/80s series.

These include (ranked from best to worst):

Anti-Porno (2016) Aroused by Gymnopedies (2016) Wet Woman in the Wind (2016) White Lily (2016) Dawn of the Felines (2017)

Director Sion Sono has crafted a wonderfully artistic, colourful, and fourth-wall-breaking movie. On the surface, there is a lot of sex, nudity, and lush colours on display. But Anti-Porno is so much more than that (and no, it's not even remotely porn-ish).

If you dive a bit deeper, there's a great deal of symbolism and social commentaries to unravel. And I'll admit to not understanding everything, as I suspect much of it is directly related to Japanese culture and society. Is it about feminism, women emancipating themselves from men, questioning the derogative terms "dog" or "whore", empowering themselves in a male-dominated society, or something else? Kyoko's monologue at the beginning, for example, comes so thick and fast that you barely have time to process it all.

Anti-Porno is so crazy and bizarre that it's excited by itself. And that's a good thing. Sion Sono has a unique voice and the movie is visually eye-popping. It may be far too off-kilter for many, but the niche art-house crowd will lap it up.

Coolio & the Gang Bang (2007 Video)

Literally a Gangstas Paradise

[5/10 · 11 July 2023]

Coolio, aka. Artis Leon Ivey Jr, sadly passed at the end of 2022. He was not only a successful musician, but also had his fingers in many extra curricular activities.

One of those activities was this notorious music video featuring many well known adult stars, such as Tarra White, Claudia Rossi, Julie Silver and the beautiful Jennifer Stone.

The main part of the video sees Coolio and his posse perform a live concert on stage, whilst the audience starts begins to undress and have lots of (hardcore) sex. Coolio does not partake in the festivities but doesn't mind mixing in.

Overall, this remains a curiousity and Coolio fans might want to seek it out.

The uncut HC version runs at 3 hours and 14 minutes long.

Cat Sick Blues (2015)

A Real (Kitty) Treat

[10/10 · 5 July 2023]

First and foremost, Cat Sick Blues is not for everyone and will be far too off-kilter for most casual movie fans. On the flip side, this type of movie is exactly why I, as an avid horror fan, watch hundreds of hours of crap just to find a gem like this one. I hadn't heard of Cat Sick Blues before seeing it and was absolutely blown away by its sheer audacity.

There are literally so many WTF moments, that it's hard to keep up. Best of all, it's quite funny (hitting a similar tone as 2019's Benny Loves You), making it another little demented guilty pleasure. This one is really targeted soley at horror fans, who have already been groomed by this type of creative and bloody mayhem.

There is an underlying social commentary about the pitfalls of social media, for those who like that sort of thing. Ted is also very creepy, as a person and also in his cat suit.

Winner of numerous awards at the A Night of Horror International Film Festival, this partially crowdfunded film may be fairly low budget, but it's also one of the best horror features I have seen of late.

No Mercy (2019)

Heavy Hitter

[7/10 · 4 July 2023]

There's always room in the action genre for more "one-man army" thrillers, but this has typically been a male-dominated space. It's therefore always great to see women getting in on the action. Lee Si-young (In Ae) is also no stranger to heavy-hitting, having a rather successful background in amateur boxing. This probably makes her fight choreography all that more believable.

No Mercy falters only in two instances, the first being the convoluted story-telling and secondly, by subjecting the younger sister to one too many ordeals in such a short space of time, hence losing its emotional weight somewhat. But those gripes aside, the action scenes are well coordinated and the revenge aspect is quite satisfying. It's the type of movie that caters to our natural instinct of (justifiably) punching numerous henchmen in the face.

No Mercy is one of the better action thrillers I have seen of late, with a strong female-led cast.