This one just could not hold my attention. It felt like a silent movie with lots of flashbacks but nothing really came full circle.
63 Reviews
Hard Watch
gab-6759910 October 2021
Cheap Tale Of Vengeance
stevendbeard10 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I saw "Vengeance Is Mine", starring Con O'Neill-Chernobyl_tv, Uncle_tv; Sarah_Jane Potts-The Chameleon, Sugar Rush; Anton Valensi-Eastenders_tv, Luther_tv and Annabel Wright-Lake Placid vs. Anaconda_tv, Shark Rampage_tv.
This is a cheap English-I mean the country, not the language-tale of vengeance. Con looses his wife, Annabel, and daughter to a hit and run careless driver, Anton, who also happens to be a drug dealer. Con gets a good look at all 5 people in the car, who speed off-probably on their way to make a drug deal. Con gets depressed and thinks of committing suicide until he gets the idea to go after them and take his own vengeance-instead of calling the police, like most people would do. Since his family died, Con has been working & living at a church where he meets Sarah, a woman that also lost her spouse. Although Con is no professional killer, he seems to hold his own against the bad guys, knocking them off one by one and getting the girl at the end.
It didn't have a rating but it contained violence and language and had a running time of 1 hour & 19 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD or even rent. I guess it would be alright to watch it when it comes to cable.
This is a cheap English-I mean the country, not the language-tale of vengeance. Con looses his wife, Annabel, and daughter to a hit and run careless driver, Anton, who also happens to be a drug dealer. Con gets a good look at all 5 people in the car, who speed off-probably on their way to make a drug deal. Con gets depressed and thinks of committing suicide until he gets the idea to go after them and take his own vengeance-instead of calling the police, like most people would do. Since his family died, Con has been working & living at a church where he meets Sarah, a woman that also lost her spouse. Although Con is no professional killer, he seems to hold his own against the bad guys, knocking them off one by one and getting the girl at the end.
It didn't have a rating but it contained violence and language and had a running time of 1 hour & 19 minutes.
It's not one that I would buy on DVD or even rent. I guess it would be alright to watch it when it comes to cable.
A very violent and cheesy thriller
davidlucapascutiu6 December 2021
This thriller is based on things that happened in the past. The ending was ok. But the beginning was a bit scary even for an action thriller. I don't recomand it for very affectable people. This movie is made for people that can watch action, very strange feelings. Attention this film is not made for children.
Boredom will be thine...
paul_haakonsen26 April 2022
I figured with a rating of 7.1 on IMDb, as I am writing this review, then I figured that I would be in for something good and entertaining when I sat down to watch the 2021 action thriller "Vengeance Is Mine" here in 2022. Sure, I hadn't heard about this movie from writer and director Hadi Hajaig prior to watching it, so I wasn't fully sure what I was getting myself into here.
Well, if "Vengeance Is Mine" had a better character gallery, then perhaps I would have gotten more submerged into the storyline. But I have to say that the character gallery in the movie was flaccid and fully devoid of character traits, quirks and such. And I must admit that I didn't care one bit about the main character Harry (played by Con O'Neill), nor about the tragic events of him losing his family and going on a murderous rampage and a quest for vengeance.
The storyline had potential, and the concept was adequate enough, albeit it was a somewhat generic and mundane storyline. But it would have worked actually well enough, provided the characters in the movie had anything to offer. But they didn't, and the movie suffered from that.
Truth be told, I didn't care one bit about who died or what happened to the characters in the movie, and it was a struggle to watch Harry stumbling through one failed suicide attempt after another, and then watch him go on to exact vengeance upon people. It just didn't work.
For an action thriller then "Vengeance Is Mine" from writer and director Hadi Hajaig just failed to deliver. This is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on. And I just don't fathom how the movie could rate so high.
My rating of "Vengeance Is Mine" lands on a three out of ten stars.
Well, if "Vengeance Is Mine" had a better character gallery, then perhaps I would have gotten more submerged into the storyline. But I have to say that the character gallery in the movie was flaccid and fully devoid of character traits, quirks and such. And I must admit that I didn't care one bit about the main character Harry (played by Con O'Neill), nor about the tragic events of him losing his family and going on a murderous rampage and a quest for vengeance.
The storyline had potential, and the concept was adequate enough, albeit it was a somewhat generic and mundane storyline. But it would have worked actually well enough, provided the characters in the movie had anything to offer. But they didn't, and the movie suffered from that.
Truth be told, I didn't care one bit about who died or what happened to the characters in the movie, and it was a struggle to watch Harry stumbling through one failed suicide attempt after another, and then watch him go on to exact vengeance upon people. It just didn't work.
For an action thriller then "Vengeance Is Mine" from writer and director Hadi Hajaig just failed to deliver. This is not a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on. And I just don't fathom how the movie could rate so high.
My rating of "Vengeance Is Mine" lands on a three out of ten stars.
Boring
thomasraaness8 March 2022
B grade
orkneyislander12 June 2022
Don't understand the high ratings this movie got. None of the characters were much to care about and it's about time directors recognised that someone who's been shot isn't lifted off the ground and flies backwards through the air into the distance. Or that crim's don't tend to execute their victims in broad daylight on rooftops in full view overlooked by multiple highrise buildings. I guess if you like gunfire and believing a church cleaner can outgun and outfight multiple machinegun toting hardened killers then it will pass a bit of time.
nice little revenge thriller
Snakeskinzjr21 December 2021
Great job on an obvious small budget. The film doesnt try and be something more than what it is , a british revenge story , its brutal simple and effective. The bad guys get what they have coming to them , and we are rooting for the good guy. I would reccommend.
Murder in the Cathedral
lavatch29 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
There were some well-chosen locations for film this revenge saga, especially the Gothic cathedral where the protagonist, Harry Kane, lives and works. Unfortunately, the overall feeling of the film was flat with sluggish pacing and superficial character developments.
The cathedral setting is ironic for a man whose life is dedicated to revenge for the deaths of his wife and daughter, who were killed accidentally by a group of thugs fleeing a crime scene. There is no Christian charity for Harry Kane.
An essential reference point was the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" that is being read by Harry. But a major difference existed between Harry Kane and the protagonist Edmund Dantes. There was a sense of redemption for the revenge minded Dantes, and he does some good along the way in his vendetta.
For Harry Kane, the world is bleak at the beginning and equally bleak at the end. An intriguing character was Emma, Harry's co-worker at the cathedral. But it was unconvincing that Emma would ever take an interest in the morose and slovenly Harry.
While there was no murder committed in the cathedral, there was the loss of a soul in the sad and irredeemable character of Harry Kane.
The cathedral setting is ironic for a man whose life is dedicated to revenge for the deaths of his wife and daughter, who were killed accidentally by a group of thugs fleeing a crime scene. There is no Christian charity for Harry Kane.
An essential reference point was the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" that is being read by Harry. But a major difference existed between Harry Kane and the protagonist Edmund Dantes. There was a sense of redemption for the revenge minded Dantes, and he does some good along the way in his vendetta.
For Harry Kane, the world is bleak at the beginning and equally bleak at the end. An intriguing character was Emma, Harry's co-worker at the cathedral. But it was unconvincing that Emma would ever take an interest in the morose and slovenly Harry.
While there was no murder committed in the cathedral, there was the loss of a soul in the sad and irredeemable character of Harry Kane.
No particular set of skills necessary revenge flick
Taco_Sanchez28 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Our main character Harry has witnessed the death of his wife and daughter as the result of a hit and run accident. Those responsible are a group of gangsters who were in the getaway vehicle fleeing an armed robbery.
Five years after their death, Harry is working as a custodian in a church. He is suicidal and a broken man. One day, he receives a letter from a private investigator saying he has a lead on the identity of the men.
From there Harry, who is clearly not skilled in such, decides to extract his vengeance on the men. This is not a simple or easy task for him. Along the way he is wounded several times, including multiple stab wounds and being thrown off a balcony in the church. However, in the end, he is successful in taking out the bad guys.
I thought the best part of the movie was, especially in comparison to something like "death wish" where the lead character was an architect, Harry stays true to being an Everyman. He is hesitant in shooting and he certainly makes mistakes not "finishing the bad guys off" which nearly costs him his life.
The movie was obviously a low-budget affair, and there were a few scenes where the director tried to become too artsy - particularly with the flashbacks. Some have suggested that the movie was a "death dream" and point to these flashbacks, but I just think it was amateurish film making as also demonstrated by characters flying every time they got shot, and the way the credits and titles were done in the movie. Now, maybe the director has come out and said "yes, I was trying to make this ambiguous" ... but it certainly seemed to me it was just overkill in selling the idea that he was getting vengeance. Similarly, I felt like the ending was pretty clear that he lay down on the grave and was going to kill himself to join his wife and daughter, but instead he "left them go" and stopped holding on. His going to meet the woman on the beach by the cliffs 100% shows that he chose to keep on living. Conversely, if he had gone to "heaven" he would be with his wife and daughter.
I gave this movie a 7 out of 10. In looking at the score on IMDB it's currently at 5 which I think is too low because it's much more entertaining and enjoyable than that. On the other hand, this thing has a tone of user reviews from back in 2021 which mostly rate it as an 8 (some 9s and 10s) that are just a wee bit too high...with some almost seeing fake. It's a solid movie for a low budget picture. Seven is a very respectable, and accurate, score.
Five years after their death, Harry is working as a custodian in a church. He is suicidal and a broken man. One day, he receives a letter from a private investigator saying he has a lead on the identity of the men.
From there Harry, who is clearly not skilled in such, decides to extract his vengeance on the men. This is not a simple or easy task for him. Along the way he is wounded several times, including multiple stab wounds and being thrown off a balcony in the church. However, in the end, he is successful in taking out the bad guys.
I thought the best part of the movie was, especially in comparison to something like "death wish" where the lead character was an architect, Harry stays true to being an Everyman. He is hesitant in shooting and he certainly makes mistakes not "finishing the bad guys off" which nearly costs him his life.
The movie was obviously a low-budget affair, and there were a few scenes where the director tried to become too artsy - particularly with the flashbacks. Some have suggested that the movie was a "death dream" and point to these flashbacks, but I just think it was amateurish film making as also demonstrated by characters flying every time they got shot, and the way the credits and titles were done in the movie. Now, maybe the director has come out and said "yes, I was trying to make this ambiguous" ... but it certainly seemed to me it was just overkill in selling the idea that he was getting vengeance. Similarly, I felt like the ending was pretty clear that he lay down on the grave and was going to kill himself to join his wife and daughter, but instead he "left them go" and stopped holding on. His going to meet the woman on the beach by the cliffs 100% shows that he chose to keep on living. Conversely, if he had gone to "heaven" he would be with his wife and daughter.
I gave this movie a 7 out of 10. In looking at the score on IMDB it's currently at 5 which I think is too low because it's much more entertaining and enjoyable than that. On the other hand, this thing has a tone of user reviews from back in 2021 which mostly rate it as an 8 (some 9s and 10s) that are just a wee bit too high...with some almost seeing fake. It's a solid movie for a low budget picture. Seven is a very respectable, and accurate, score.
Budget is not mine
Neptune1652 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The men fly when you shoot them because the ENTIRE MOVIE IS A DREAM. Man lost his family and is out for revenge. How many movies like this we need. Pretty friggin slow for an action movie! I watched about 3/4th's of it and fell asleep! Why in every film that involve a 12 gauge gun we alway and I mean always see the guy who hold the said gun, load a cartridge in the chamber with the pump action move like I will go to a gun fight without already have an extra bullet in the chamber ready to shoot. It seems like every other movie or TV series these days are about avenging a lost loved one. Not sure if it is better than all the reboots or Disney live action movies we are seeing. Hollywood is so unoriginal it is ridiculous.
A 3 Dimensional Thriller
harry-ovacik12 November 2021
An Indie Film isn't just a movie which is thought of as a limited budgeted venture without big shot studios at its helm. When one hears the term "Indie" one is instantaneously thrown off course. Watch Vengeance is Mine and it will forever change the way one perceives Indies.
Let me throw a few titles at you. THE DESCENT, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, MEMENTO, THE PASSION OF THE Christ, MEAN STREETS & THE TERMINATOR are some of the most stringent budgeted productions seen in the past decades. Vengeance is Mine does not have an A-List director to its name as some of the titles mentioned above. Instead The director can be considered an amateur with comparison to the Coens, Scorsese or Cameron. But still Vengeance is Mine is one of the most absurdly intense and realistic movies of 2021. Slow off the blocks Vengeance is Mine progresses at a slow pace focusing on the mysterious growth of the troubled Harry who works in a ancient church in London who embarks on a journey of revenge when he is totally ill wiped for it. What happens to a man who holds another man at gunpoint for the first time? He hesitates, he doubts himself, he is afraid of the consequences and most of all he himself is afraid of the situation. This all what Vengeance is Mine is at its core eventually? I for one think so. Vengeance is Mine gripped me from the very start. Its sparse in dialogue which works positively since this leaves plenty of room for the audience thoughts and musings. Each nook is fine tuned to extract the scenes maximum potential within his strained budget. When Harry bleeds that's all that happens; he bleeds. When Harry cries that's all that happens; Harry cries. Unlike Colin Farrell or Tom Hanks in PHONEBOOTH or CASTAWAY there isn't much taking place in the backdrop. There is no police squad, there is no island. Instead its always back seat of a car, a broken chair, a wall or a field. Vengeance is Mine is a thriller that lets of its steam cautiously but certainly. It's like walking the plank.
Let me throw a few titles at you. THE DESCENT, THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, MEMENTO, THE PASSION OF THE Christ, MEAN STREETS & THE TERMINATOR are some of the most stringent budgeted productions seen in the past decades. Vengeance is Mine does not have an A-List director to its name as some of the titles mentioned above. Instead The director can be considered an amateur with comparison to the Coens, Scorsese or Cameron. But still Vengeance is Mine is one of the most absurdly intense and realistic movies of 2021. Slow off the blocks Vengeance is Mine progresses at a slow pace focusing on the mysterious growth of the troubled Harry who works in a ancient church in London who embarks on a journey of revenge when he is totally ill wiped for it. What happens to a man who holds another man at gunpoint for the first time? He hesitates, he doubts himself, he is afraid of the consequences and most of all he himself is afraid of the situation. This all what Vengeance is Mine is at its core eventually? I for one think so. Vengeance is Mine gripped me from the very start. Its sparse in dialogue which works positively since this leaves plenty of room for the audience thoughts and musings. Each nook is fine tuned to extract the scenes maximum potential within his strained budget. When Harry bleeds that's all that happens; he bleeds. When Harry cries that's all that happens; Harry cries. Unlike Colin Farrell or Tom Hanks in PHONEBOOTH or CASTAWAY there isn't much taking place in the backdrop. There is no police squad, there is no island. Instead its always back seat of a car, a broken chair, a wall or a field. Vengeance is Mine is a thriller that lets of its steam cautiously but certainly. It's like walking the plank.
Maybe you should watch sharknado 1000 before this ?
tonikuusa27 November 2022
First of all, the audio was really badly synchronized with the picture, it's fine, but then it started to bother me when the sounds were no longer what you'd expect. AND then people fly like in old western movies when they are shot, okay, very entertaining. The plot was really messed up, so REALLY messed up. How difficult and long-winded is it to explain the revenge plot (if you don't take into account big-budget movies where entertainment value comes from it, but here it doesn't). Overall entertaining, I can't remember when I laughed more than at this movie. I don't recommend, you should rather watch cat videos on YouTube.
Sorry, this was written with google translate.
Sorry, this was written with google translate.
Truth & broken bones, excellent.
felixthecat273 November 2021
The person with the better weapon and the element of surprise, gets to tell the truth. Because they have the power, and the truth hurts like a broken bone. In the underworld of London, only the possibility of revenge and the telling of such truths stir an impoverished loner named Harry. It likewise motivates his intended target. In a brutal spree, Harry struggles to gain the upper hand over his adversary. In this insightful, vicious and unconventional tale, there are surprising twists and turns. Harry learns some uncommon and profound good sense. Capable acting, an enthralling story and intriguing sights and sounds, kept me at the edge of my seat.
Film is a Visual Medium, this thriller is a fine example
dynamod830 October 2021
The Europeans have a knack of gripping you in films about lonely disconnected characters who are suffering some sort of crisis who then emerge from ashes of some sort of grief and then seek revenge and it usually takes place slowly and VISUALLY and this is a fine example of that.
Telling a story in pictures seems to be something American film makers have forgotten, they are riddled with tons and tons of dialogue, Irving the explainer film making.
In this film you are given the info and you put the pieces together yourself, treating the audience with respect in that they have some intelligence.
The whole dream thing did occur to me but I continued watching, that shot of the beach at the end could be heaven or it could be just a shot of a beach.
Telling a story in pictures seems to be something American film makers have forgotten, they are riddled with tons and tons of dialogue, Irving the explainer film making.
In this film you are given the info and you put the pieces together yourself, treating the audience with respect in that they have some intelligence.
The whole dream thing did occur to me but I continued watching, that shot of the beach at the end could be heaven or it could be just a shot of a beach.
a darker noir
harold-sweeney2112 November 2021
Vengeance is Mine adds darkness to film noir. Because sometimes in noir -- no matter how hard that good leading figure tries -- the blackness is inescapable. There's the fate of the situation that the leading figure tries to overcome, tries to correct; he or she just wants to do what's right. And they do. I think our very lost hero here even finds his way. Why isn't that enough to free him? He's good enough to escape this awful cobweb of events. But there is no one spider who has spun the web. It's a stark, dark case of the way things are. This is not a "fun" film. It takes its subject very seriously. Vengeance is Mine grapples with moral issues and leaves the viewer still wrestling. In Vengeance is Mine's cinematography there are qualities of a first film, a touch of the new by Rami Bartholdy the dop. But this oddly enhances its quality and gives the story the air of a dream like drama. With all the rough edges and awkwardness of the surreal life. You don't know why. The story is too solid to answer its questions. Life is more like wrestling than dancing.
The British know how to make it bleed emotions
gutiezh1 November 2021
A deeply tense and taught thriller that puts you along side Harry as all the events unfold. I am very accustomed to the actions of characters of your typical Hollywood revenge thrillers that in my mind I was intensely screaming at Harry's actions when the **IT, hit the fan. Then the realization came, this is not a film where the lead character becomes a fuel raged unstoppable hero suddenly becoming an expert on how to kill. But another fantastic element is that he is a dream like state and doesn't really know what is going on around him and hallucinates all sorts of imagery in quiet moments and in violent moment. This is why European thrillers are so cool compared to our USA product and the Brits excel at it.
The surreal quietness is very intense in this film and you just focus everything on the films characters. That is how excellent the directing and the screenplay are, the movie is not afraid of the silence. You become completely aware of how fast your heart is beating in the deadly silence. The direction by Hadi Hajaig was handled expertly and was a true feast for the eyes. Gorgeous cinematography and his utilization of natural light made it easy to get lost in the movie. There are scenes that will make you wriggle and squirm and there are humorous tension releasing moments, that is how tight the script is and you are relieved that you have those moments. Everyone in this cast is on point, I did not feel one off key from any of actors. The gamut of emotions that run through Harry's (Con O'Neill) eyes alone is worth the price of admission. There are some great actor finds Anton Saunders as an unredeemable and terrifying character in the film. Plaudits to the whole unheard of cast. The score from Sarah Lynch is haunting and never over powers a given scene. I know I am gushing over this movie, but if you can talk and truly think about a film long after the lights have come up then gush I must about it!
Do yourself a favor and see it and be kind to your friends and tell them about it and watch it with them. You are guaranteed a long conversation over drinks afterward. This is not a standard revenge film, yes it bleeds a lot of red, but it also bleeds true emotions.
The surreal quietness is very intense in this film and you just focus everything on the films characters. That is how excellent the directing and the screenplay are, the movie is not afraid of the silence. You become completely aware of how fast your heart is beating in the deadly silence. The direction by Hadi Hajaig was handled expertly and was a true feast for the eyes. Gorgeous cinematography and his utilization of natural light made it easy to get lost in the movie. There are scenes that will make you wriggle and squirm and there are humorous tension releasing moments, that is how tight the script is and you are relieved that you have those moments. Everyone in this cast is on point, I did not feel one off key from any of actors. The gamut of emotions that run through Harry's (Con O'Neill) eyes alone is worth the price of admission. There are some great actor finds Anton Saunders as an unredeemable and terrifying character in the film. Plaudits to the whole unheard of cast. The score from Sarah Lynch is haunting and never over powers a given scene. I know I am gushing over this movie, but if you can talk and truly think about a film long after the lights have come up then gush I must about it!
Do yourself a favor and see it and be kind to your friends and tell them about it and watch it with them. You are guaranteed a long conversation over drinks afterward. This is not a standard revenge film, yes it bleeds a lot of red, but it also bleeds true emotions.
Con O'Neill works it
wintersliam31 October 2021
Vengeance is Mine makes it look so simple and effortless. Maybe it's because it is in fact simple and effortless. Con O'Neill the lead looks like a blend of a lawyer and an accountant and he is an inept protagonist that the film explores in all its consequences that other movies skip with an archetype that's usually hugely muscled and wielding machine guns on both arms.
It's subversive and the ending pays off with a gorgeous finale. While some would get tired of the spare and simple plot, it allows the stakes to rise in a true way and the only thing that is missing is a little more juice on all the cast of characters as the film chooses to not speak unless it really has to which I actually liked. However, the authentic leads acting wins you over where the writing is deliberately minimal.
Vengeance is Mine reminds me why I have always loved looking for more obscure and smart indie cinema.
It's subversive and the ending pays off with a gorgeous finale. While some would get tired of the spare and simple plot, it allows the stakes to rise in a true way and the only thing that is missing is a little more juice on all the cast of characters as the film chooses to not speak unless it really has to which I actually liked. However, the authentic leads acting wins you over where the writing is deliberately minimal.
Vengeance is Mine reminds me why I have always loved looking for more obscure and smart indie cinema.
Grade A movie that should be seen widely
s_garrad1 November 2021
Audiences are incredibly familiar with revenge films because it is a reoccurring common theme in movies, BUT Hadi Hajaig's Vengeance is Mine is one of those rare movies that feels unique. Vengeance is Mine stands out easily from your standard revenge flicks in various ways. First, we aren't given much of a a background (apart from some rapid flashbacks) of what is going on in the story and as the action takes place we get some hints of what happened to the main protagonist. Second, the main character played by Con O'Neill isn't your typical Hollywood hero. It's evident this dude doesn't know what he is doing and is a total scared amateur. He makes many many mistakes that sometimes it becomes a bit laugh out loud funny. It also shows us his humanity and allows us to identify and really care for him. He is incredibly different from other characters we see in this movie genre that are highly qualified for the violent task (think of Denzel Washington in The Equalizer, or Keanu Reeves in John Wick, or the Charles Bronson Death Wish films). O'Neill's Harry doesn't really know what the hell he is doing but he is ferociously determined to get his revenge. He's a normal guy who has been viciously hurt by a traumatic event in his past. The film takes its time to eventually buildup the character and his actions. It is a quiet and toned down film so when the violent scenes arrive they shock you in their brutality. It also differs from other revenge movies in that we don't see Harry get a sense of joyous satisfaction and his violent actions only complicate things more. Hajaig has managed to craft an incredibly unique revenge film which is more of a steady character study than anything else. He not only directed this film but he was also the writer, producer and editor, so this is entirely his baby.
I did not know much about this movie before going into it but I am glad I got a chance to see it because it was quite a unique jarring experience. Con O'Neill delivers an outstanding lead acting performance and he should get offered many more roles in films in the future. The film pretty much entirely revolves around his tragic character and he is practically in every scene of the film. He is what keeps us totally invested in the film during the quieter periods and the few lines he has are delivered pitch perfectly in the film.
I did not know much about this movie before going into it but I am glad I got a chance to see it because it was quite a unique jarring experience. Con O'Neill delivers an outstanding lead acting performance and he should get offered many more roles in films in the future. The film pretty much entirely revolves around his tragic character and he is practically in every scene of the film. He is what keeps us totally invested in the film during the quieter periods and the few lines he has are delivered pitch perfectly in the film.
The watching experience
jess-walker530 October 2021
Nothing better than to watch a movie that involves you in the watching experience without the use of words, its trance like. You are engrossed in the action and the characters without hearing them say what they are thinking or feeling, thats a real skill so kudos to this team.
I see that there is a discussion going on wether its dream or not, I have to say it did niggle me a tad when I was watching it thinking the same thing and to see other people are saying its a dream makes me think, BUT wether its a dream or not its still a clever little movie.
I see that there is a discussion going on wether its dream or not, I have to say it did niggle me a tad when I was watching it thinking the same thing and to see other people are saying its a dream makes me think, BUT wether its a dream or not its still a clever little movie.
Razor Sharp Thriller
mynameisneo-316-26599130 October 2021
Harry is a loner and, to anyone who would perceive him, a total and utter failure on the bottom rung on society. Living and working in a church as a handyman and cleaner, he occupies his time by reading The Count of Monte Cristo and contemplating suicide in all sort of gruesome ways, throw in visions of his wife an daughter runner in a getaway car by some vicious thieves, you have man at the lowest ebb of his life. Then a private detective he hired brings him news that shakes him from his life ending low. He has been so badly wronged in the past that his life derailed that this is light at tend of the tunnel. The authors of his downfall have now been found. He makes a decision to seek vengeance.
This means having to buy a gun and ammunition, stalking the killers and attacking them although he is completely untrained and totally out of shape an entering a world he does not belong in. Once in this world he sets in motion a chain of events that will build up its own momentum, essentially driven by vengeance, lost love and pure emotion.
Harry is played by Con O'Neill, an outstanding actor. He excels as the frightened, yet driven man, who is essentially a good person, who has been forced into the role of vigilante avenger. He is able to convey so much tormented emotion in his facial expressions and the use of his eyes that his performance on its own would make this a 5 star film. All of the supporting actors are also excellent, one of the villains played bt Anton Saunders is skin tinglingly scary, but O'Neills performance just dwarfs all around him.
This is edge of seat stuff, with brutal violence - intentionally gratuitous, it is the messy sort and sometimes glammed up which at first I thought was strange but then as I watched this over the top violence that SOMETIMES occurred I realised that the film maker was telling us something , THIS IS EITHER A DREAM OR REAL OR BOTH, in that Harry is perhaps committing these acts and exaggerating them in his mind OR in that it is his final thoughts as he lies dying in his room in the church when he tries to commit suicide with a knife strapped to a stool.
The movie has a brooding quality that makes the whole thing have a kind of intense effervescence that just grabs you and takes you along for the ride - and that means the whole journey. I was blown away by this, small film. This is a master class in how to make a thriller. I can not recommend highly enough.
This means having to buy a gun and ammunition, stalking the killers and attacking them although he is completely untrained and totally out of shape an entering a world he does not belong in. Once in this world he sets in motion a chain of events that will build up its own momentum, essentially driven by vengeance, lost love and pure emotion.
Harry is played by Con O'Neill, an outstanding actor. He excels as the frightened, yet driven man, who is essentially a good person, who has been forced into the role of vigilante avenger. He is able to convey so much tormented emotion in his facial expressions and the use of his eyes that his performance on its own would make this a 5 star film. All of the supporting actors are also excellent, one of the villains played bt Anton Saunders is skin tinglingly scary, but O'Neills performance just dwarfs all around him.
This is edge of seat stuff, with brutal violence - intentionally gratuitous, it is the messy sort and sometimes glammed up which at first I thought was strange but then as I watched this over the top violence that SOMETIMES occurred I realised that the film maker was telling us something , THIS IS EITHER A DREAM OR REAL OR BOTH, in that Harry is perhaps committing these acts and exaggerating them in his mind OR in that it is his final thoughts as he lies dying in his room in the church when he tries to commit suicide with a knife strapped to a stool.
The movie has a brooding quality that makes the whole thing have a kind of intense effervescence that just grabs you and takes you along for the ride - and that means the whole journey. I was blown away by this, small film. This is a master class in how to make a thriller. I can not recommend highly enough.
The Flashbacks
frank-harte28 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
From the moment the flashbacks happened at his suicide right at the opening fo the film and then how imagines he sees the the villain in his church , and how every time there is over the top violence he has some sort of vision of his wife next to him or visions of the suicide which opened the film , it is obvious to me that it is all a dream. The nail in the coffin for all of this is the ending, just look what happened when he is at the grave, the flash cut of his suicide, then he ends up on the beach, he has died and those are the random images he sees, its not obvious its a dream but thats what I liked about it was that it kept me thinking about that, and thats what I like about films, its if they keep me thinking long after you watch them.
SUICIDE DREAMS
chelsealegend28 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Really loved the fact that this movie had hardly any dialogue, you just are lulled into it and you watch and observe putting the pieces together and after a while you really are into it and the characters , it just shows that you don't need much dialogue for a movie.
I spotted pretty much straight away that it is all a dream in the moments of his suicide which is at the beginning the movie , all the sign posts are there for you to see it right way through the movie.
Great performance by the lead actor also.
I spotted pretty much straight away that it is all a dream in the moments of his suicide which is at the beginning the movie , all the sign posts are there for you to see it right way through the movie.
Great performance by the lead actor also.
An intense violent ride from the UK
htr-420-3156192 November 2021
All the way from across the pond comes a brutal and bloody piece of modern filmmaking.
The lead, Con O'Neill is totally flawless. He portrays A REAL GUY, not an unbelievably clever, or tough cliché. He does not give you anything that the character wouldn't do. This quality of acting is across the whole board. The casting of the movie is dead-on.
This is an intense, refreshingly ORIGINAL tough ride, from start to finish. You are right there with the lead, going through what he is going through, knowing what he knows, and not knowing what he doesn't know...
The lead, Con O'Neill is totally flawless. He portrays A REAL GUY, not an unbelievably clever, or tough cliché. He does not give you anything that the character wouldn't do. This quality of acting is across the whole board. The casting of the movie is dead-on.
This is an intense, refreshingly ORIGINAL tough ride, from start to finish. You are right there with the lead, going through what he is going through, knowing what he knows, and not knowing what he doesn't know...
Show don't tell
trevorstunt12 November 2021
A very well shot film. The use sound (and lack of sound) in the perfect sound design was great, the story was tight, it was very suspenseful, and had me on the edge of my seat. Many parts of the story were told visually, which I admire. "Show, don't tell." No cheesy voice-over explaining things we can deduce ourselves. No pointless exposition. The back story is alluded to and we're left to piece things together as the films goes on. A tragic, and at times darkly funny, tale of revenge. I can't find many things to complain about. In fact, even though it was a grim tale, I found myself smiling often at just how much I was enjoying the experience.
The director delivers the goods and the lead, Con O'Neill, was perfect. His portrayal of Harry as an unlikely confused anti-hero was spot-on. No over-acting, no showmanship; it was subtle and nuanced, and even though his actions were extreme I found myself relating to him and his struggles. He really carried the weight of the film.
As an aspiring director, films like this inspire me. I feel like jumping for joy.
The director delivers the goods and the lead, Con O'Neill, was perfect. His portrayal of Harry as an unlikely confused anti-hero was spot-on. No over-acting, no showmanship; it was subtle and nuanced, and even though his actions were extreme I found myself relating to him and his struggles. He really carried the weight of the film.
As an aspiring director, films like this inspire me. I feel like jumping for joy.
High brow genre movie
j_fernandes-315-40115431 October 2021
A fantastic revenge thriller that uses literally every penny of its micro budget perfectly, as throughout this looks visually as well put together as any other multi million dollar Hollywood production. The way it unravels is nothing other than completely gripping as it is a fine example of pure unencumbered story telling that shows the audience the unfolding evens a lot more than it tells them. Performance wise its top of the line, with Con O'Neill giving one of the most timid, yet still perfectly relatable killer performances, but is the smart direction that sets itself apart as it's faultlessly sharp and immensely effective. A gritty must see that is high brow genre movie.
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