When you go through the history of horror, you can usually map out trends throughout the time period. In the early days of the Universal Monsters, characters like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Invisible Man were the focal point. Even if they do not scare us now, they were terrifying for their day. A generation later, screens were bombarded with larger than life monsters which we now know as Kajiu - monsters like Godzilla, Mothra, and more frightened generations and different cultures alike. Next, we were scared by a new, more grounded approach to the genre. Monsters that looked like you and me - even if they didn’t act like it. People that brutally killed innocent teachers and final girls alike for no rhyme or reason. 

Characters like Leatherface, Michael Myers, and Jason Voorhees made us anxious to go new places. While the rest of the genre slowly turned into a parody of its former self, one that no longer made us sleep with the lights on, Wes Craven gave us meta horror in New Nightmare and the Scream franchise. Horror that was self-aware of what had gone before it and was fearless to intimate it. Give it four or five years and that brilliance slowly transformed itself into a farce. Then came the Saw series, which birthed the term/subgenre of “Torture Porn”. This is often referred to as a film which overindulges its need for violence. It favors gore over the use of actual narrative, character development, and other such practical storytelling elements.

By now, a large portion of those films have left our cinema and streaming services. Series like Saw and Hostel have finished with their stories, with the exception of the upcoming Spiral, the Chris Rock-led Saw spin-off. Horror is an interesting place these days. Some of it is socially conscious like Halloween (2018), Get Out, and The Invisible Man, while others take the art house approach like Relic, The Lodge, and Hereditary. Personally, I grew up with the splatter films like Saw and constantly defend them. So when I arrived at For the Sake of Vicious I caught a glimpse of both reality and nostalgia. 

Vicious tells the story of a father, Chris (Nick Smyth), who takes a nurse, Romina (Lora Burke), hostage on Halloween night to take care of the man (Colin Paradine), he believes raped his daughter, only for all three of them to fight for their lives against a gang of blood-thirsty bikers. It’s a lot to take in, I know. Perhaps, the saddest part about Vicious is the promise it shows throughout the first half of the film. Smyth, especially, delivers a gut-wrenching performance as the father. A reality which some parents face every day is brought to life through a complex moral compass, which walks the line between justice and vengeance, blurring the line between. Smyth brings such conviction to this role that shines through this film with such delicacy and intensity. He’s truly a marvel. Quickly outshining his co-stars.

The real issue with Vicious is the sense of incompletion it brings the viewers. Yes, an  ambiguous ending is something that is incredible when done correctly. Look no further than Inception or the aforementioned Halloween. It allows the movie to live on past the credits and create conversation and examination for years to come. Vicious, however, takes no such approach. By the time, we reach the third act of this film, it is no longer a movie but a glorified blood bath. If you are a fan of the “torture porn” genre, you will absolutely fall in love with this movie. That’s cool, it just chokes the film from reaching past its intended niche audience. Narrative and story completely leave the screen and it just becomes a giant 25 minute fight scene with plenty of blood and gore to satisfy fans of the subgenre.

Overall, For the Sake of Vicious presents itself with promise. By its end, it becomes a mockery of the very story it was telling. Vicious transforms itself from a compelling, grounded narrative to a niche horror film that will only satisfy very few. Vicious finally opened my eyes to the disdain so many people have for the “torture porn” subgenre. This movie becomes tiresome and absolute overkill by the time we reach the credits. For the Sake of Vicious delivers on its title but alienates its audience in the process.

RORSCHACH RATING:

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. You Cannot Kill David Arquette is property of Federgreen Entertainment, Latefox Pictures and Raven Banner Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights. This review was edited by Cam Smith. Official Selection of Fantasia Film Festival 2020.

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