Bereavement
Directed by Steven Mena
Courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment
Release Date: August 30, 2011
You know those movies that blew you away when you weren’t expecting it? You know the ones I’m talking about…the movies that you expected to suck or be even ho-hum, but after you got done watching them, you were impressed beyond belief. Everyone has at least one or two titles that pops into your head when asked a question like this.
BEREAVEMENT is one of those films for me. I wasn’t sure what to expect before I watched it, especially since I just watched its predecessor MALEVOLENCE earlier this week. The first film was good, although it wasn’t one of my favorites. But BEREAVEMENT raised the bar and then some.
In case you’re not familiar with BEREAVEMENT, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the Anchor Bay website:
In 1989, a 6-year-old boy is lured into the vehicle of a stranger. The stranger is a serial killer with a tendency of butchering teenage girls. In the basement of a rural Pennsylvania slaughterhouse, he will teach the boy everything he knows. Five years later, teen Allison (Alexandria Daddario of Hall Pass) comes to live with her uncle (Michael Biehn of The Terminator) following her parents’ death. In time, she will discover the boy and his madman mentor. And they will all be plunged into an unimaginable evil from which there may be no escape. Nolan Gerard Funk (Deadgirl), Brett Rickaby (The Crazies), Valentina de Angelis (“Gossip Girl”) and John Savage (The Deer Hunter) co-star in this graphic and acclaimed shocker from writer/director Stevan Mena about family, torment, and the nightmare absolution that is BEREAVEMENT.
Man, I love this movie. It is shot well and the acting is superb. But aside from that, the suspense is excellent and intense. Writer/director Steven Mena does an amazing job of building the story as well as throwing in plenty of “startle” points for the audience to jump. And jump I did…several times, in fact.
I have to admit, though: I was biased towards BEREAVEMENT before I even started watching it. Why? Well, Michael Biehn is one of my favorite actors, so I was pretty sure I was going to like the film regardless. And Biehn once again does not disappoint. He does an excellent job of playing a protective uncle.
But the Gold Star for acting probably goes to Brett Rickaby, who portrays the psychopathic Graham Sutter. Rickaby does an outstanding job in his portrayal and brings horrifying life to a man obsessed with horned tormenters and unseen demons. Rickaby’s chilling performs is a large part of what makes this movie so terrifying.
The gore is excellent as well, with many cringe-worthy scenes that will leave you with nightmares. One especially brutal display occurs when Sutter impales a young girl with a meat hook…through the thigh. He then hoists her up on the hook, using a rope. The special effects for this scene are amazing and just about made me look away. Just about…but not quite.
If I were asked to find a downside for BEREAVEMENT, I don’t think I could. The film is perfect in just about every aspect, right up to the shocking ending.
I recommend this film whole-heartedly and am going so far as to say you should add it to your collection immediately (it came out earlier this week, so you’re in luck!). Check it out soon, for sure.
MSB
