It Came From Netflix: The Horseman

Good revenge flicks are few and far between.  Many try but fail to hit the mark by using excessive violence as a means to mask a shallow plot about revenge or they just try too hard.  These usually just end up turning into ham fisted torture porn flicks like Hostel.  Then we have revenge classics like Death Wish, High Plains Drifter, and Oldboy.  The Horseman definitely hits the mark as a competent revenge flick thanks to solid direction and a great character.

The Horseman follows Christian, a father who is having a hard time coping with the death of his daughter.  He then receives an anonymous video showing what happened to his daughter prior to her death and Christian then goes on a crusade to find the truth behind his daughters death.  Not a terribly exciting premise, but writer/director Steven Kastrissios manages to take a cliché plot and turn it into an enjoyable movie.

Christian is probably one of my favorite revenge characters.   The whole regular Joe schmoe turns full blown sociopath has been done ten times over.  Yes, I understand that revenge flicks are really all about satiating our appetite for a “little bit of the ol’ ultra violence”, but come on.  Kastrissios writes a slightly more complex revenge character in which we see his descent into full blown madness.  What I appreciate about this movie is how certain scenes will have the audience question his motives.

When does the violence stop being justifiable?  Is what he’s doing simply perpetuating the violence?  We see Christian deal with each victim and how he deals with it.  Then we are presented with the consequences of his actions. I commend Kastrissios for creating a character that the audience can empathize with and despise at the same time. 

In most instances the revenge character is built to be liked.  The audience is supposed to be applauding the character as they go through their ballet of ultra violence and torture.  In The Horseman, I never felt that way.  I had mixed feelings about Christian.  I felt pity for what had been done to him, then I felt disgust in some of the ways he acts out, and finally I just felt completely unnerved.  Christian is just an outstanding character played remarkably well by Peter Marshall.

The Horseman is very gritty, very dark, very violent, and unapologetic in doing so.  It is not a feel good movie by any means, but everything is done exceptionally well.  From the documentary style camera work to the direction, The Horseman is a powerful movie.  Kastrissios directs the action and violence in a very Cronenberg-esque way.  It feels real and it’s very disturbing, two things Cronenberg is very good at in regards to violence.  You won’t see any Paul Greengrass stylized action here, It’s blunt, edgy, and in your face.  Watch The Horseman for your dose of revenge, just be prepared for more substance than the average revenge flick.