Constantlyonthehuntandsufferingfromhallucinationsthatdrivehisviolentnature,anunnamedmaniscapturingwomenandsavagelybeatingthemtodeath.Meanwhile,awomanisluringmenintoaviolentend,bywayofherknife.Drivenbythesameforcetomaketheoppositesexsuffer,thekillers’fatesintertwine.Thetwomustfaceoffinabattletothedeath,inwhichtheyareforcedtorevealthehorribletruthbehindtheiraddictiontomurder.“Brutal”takesaninterestingapproachtoitsvisuals,drawingheavyinfluencefromWestern“Grindhouse”films,usingafiltertomakethefootageappeargrainy,damaged,andwithlightandcolorfluctuations.Unfortunately,thevisualstylingendsupfeelingmisguided,asotherthanapplyingthefilteritdoesnotimitateanyotheraspectsofthe“Grindhouse”genre.Despitetryingtodirtyupthefilm,itisapparentitwasshotondigital.Thecinematographyisalsoastepabovemost“Grindhouse”productions,withTakashiHiroseprovinghehastalentbehindthecamera.Exteriorshotstothosetakingplaceinsmallspacesareallcompetentlyframed,lit,andtransitionwell.Thedecisiontoaddaneffectontopoftheworkhurtsthefilm’simageryandevengivesasenseofdesperationtotrytocaptureacertaintypeofnostalgiawiththeaudience,insteadofrelyingonitsownstrengths.Itisunfortunatewhenonecreativechoicecanhurtaproductionsomuch.Thestoryof“Brutal”issimplebuteffective,itdoesattemptsomesortofsocialcommentaryabouttheviolentnatureofmenandwomen,butitdoesnotofferenoughdepthintothesubjecttojustifytheamountofviolenceondisplay.Thefilmdoesendonastrongnotewithaninterestingtwist,witharevealthatisboundtogrosssomeout,whilegivingothersachuckle.Inspiteofitssimplenature,thosewhoenjoyfilmsthatmakethemsomewhatuncomfortableandenjoythechallengeofgettingthroughsomeultra-violence,“Brutal”posesafunandentertainingchallengeinthatregard.如果您喜欢微风追影(www.china-ppp.com)分享的《残酷》,别忘了推荐给你的好友!
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