Director: Andres R. Ramos
Year: 2017
Country: Sweden
Alternate Titles: N/A
Genre: Rape-Revenge
Plot:
Setting out to spread her father’s ashes, a woman and her family head out into the woods to accomplish the task, but when she runs afoul of a gang of thugs who intrude on the festivities and leave her for dead while abducting her family, she is forced to strike back to save them.
Review:
Overall, this was an immensely effective and enjoyable indie genre effort. Among the brighter factors featured here is the immensely likable starting point, which creates an idyllic starting point, only for it to get twisted around into the darker scenario. Focusing on the early stages of the trip between the family, reconciling with her sister and mother over her time away, living her life, and returning for their father’s funeral, and meeting up with her friends who are still in the countryside, the peace that arises over making sure family and friends are taken care of sets up a fun beginning. Mixing in enough emotional moments with the family bonding over what their father was like and how to go about honoring his final requesting in spreading his ashes there, while also getting a chance to meet up with her friends who live there and try to get her life back in order, serves this nicely enough to be a perfect setup for the carnage and cruelty to come.
With this established, the later scenes offer enough of a starting point for everything, as the interactions that come about from her meeting up with the thugs and what they’re about to accomplish fuel the second act of this one rather nicely. Seeing them when they stumble upon the actual burial ceremony, mock everyone there, and leave her for dead while abducting the sister and mother, this creates the kind of enjoyable genre-styled romp where their intentions to stay out of trouble are interrupted by her striking back and doling out the vengeance in graphic means. Setting out to take the group down in their house or out in the woods as they try to make their escape, the scenes are brutal and lethargic, yet focus so heavily on the cliches of the genre that its formulaic approach is hard to get past. It’s not overtly wrong for what it does, but the fact that it hits the expected plot beats and points that are part of the genre’s setup does impact this one, holding it back slightly.
Overview: ****/5
An immensely fun by-the-numbers genre effort, there’s a lot to like here that makes this a solid attempt in the genre, even if those few slight issues present might hold it back for some viewers. Those who enjoy this style of indie genre fare or who are curious about it will have a lot to like here, while those turned off by its approach will want to heed caution.
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