January 22, 2023

Sacrifice (2020) Movie Review

Director: Andy Collier, Tor Mian

Writer: Toor Mian (Screenplay) Andy Collier, Paul Kane, Toor Mian (Story)

Starring: Sophie Stevens, Ludovic Hughes, Barbara Crampton, Lukas Loughran, Johanna Adde Dahl

Plot: After his mother’s death, Isaac and his pregnant wife return to his birthplace on a remote Norwegian island to claim on unexpected inheritance. During their visit, the couple discover dark secrets from Isaac’s past. Their pleasant trip quickly turns into a nightmare when Isaac and his wife encounter a sinister cult that worships a sea-dwelling deity.

Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Sacrifice starts as couple Emma (Stevens) and Isaac (Hughes) return to Isaac’s birth home in Norway for an inheritance. Where they get a mixed welcome until the locals learn who he is related too.

With local police officer Renate Nygard (Crampton) explaining what happened to his father. The couple start to suffer strange visions, ones that are disturbing the couple’s time in the home.

Thoughts on Sacrifice

Sacrifice is a mystery horror that will see the couple end up in an unfamiliar location. Where they start to see the change coming from the connection to the past that Isaac has. This will look to dive into the traditions which might be seen as more outdated within the modern world. Sending our characters down a spiral of the unknown throughout the film.

Sacrifice by name will make it clearer that it was going to be more of cult like movie and that is set up to make us feel uneasy throughout the film. As we are not sure where things will go next in the movie. The Norwegian backdrop for the movie is used excellently to show the creepy side to the movie. Performances in the film are strong enough, while by the end it will end up feeling like a movie that is trying to capture the same elements Midsommar bought us.

Final Thoughts – Sacrifice is a tame version of Midsommar.

Vendetta (2022) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Catch Up 2022 – V – Vendetta – Movie Review

Director: Jared Cohn (Wishing for a Dream)

Writer: Jared Cohn (Screenplay)

Cast

Bruce Willis (Die Hard)
Thomas Jane (Deep Blue Sea)
Mike Tyson (The Hangover 2)
Clive Standen (Everest)
Theo Rossi (Army of the Dead)

Plot: When his daughter is brutally murdered and legal justice looks unlikely, William Duncan takes the law into his own hands. Setting out on a quest for retribution. After killing the street thug who was directly responsible for her death. He finds himself in the middle of a war with the thug’s brother, Rory Fetter, and his gang. Who are equally hell-bent on getting even for their fallen member. What ensues is a tense back-and-forth game of one man’s thirst for vengeance over another’s. William comes to find that the quest for revenge always has the same ending

Runtime: 1 Hour 36 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Vendetta starts when the Fetter gang force the youngest member Danny (Basden) into an incitation murder. The victim is teenager Kat Duncan (Nichols), randomly selected, shot in cold blood. With no evidence, he is set to walk free.

Enraged by this decision Kat’s father William (Standen) decides to take the law into his own hands, killing Danny. Consequently, causing a war against the family, with Danny’s brother Rory (Rossi) leading the charge against him. This forces William into returning to his military ways.

Verdict on Vendetta

Vendetta is a revenge-filled action thriller. Centre around one man that goes on a one-man rampage to get vengeance for his daughter’s murder. It does create a war between the two sides, as William shows his military background, while Rory shows his sadistic nature.

In a similar vein to many revenge movies, we see how everything spirals out of control quickly. Showing how the lone fighter will overcome the numbers in their battle against the bigger family. The story won’t hold back in how everything unfolds. highlighting the brutality of the gang and the war created.

This movie is another case of slapping the big names on the poster, with Bruce Willis, Thomas Jane and Mike Tyson getting the headline billing. Only for the film to be led by Clive Standen, who is great as the ruthless grieving father. The sadistic Theo Rossi, brings us the crazed eldest member of the family, doing everything to show his character as the loose cannon. When it comes to the action, we tend to go through a string of shootouts that have plenty of missed bullets, which don’t offer any intensity.

Final Thoughts – Vendetta is a brutal action movie, that doesn’t hold back.