Horror Film Review #5

I Spit on your Grave 3
  Vengeance is mine





Before I begin, for the record I feel this movie should not be considered as a horror genre, more thriller or abstract drama.  In the most simplest of terms this film revolves around sadistic torture violence and suggestive rape.  Eli Roth movies are now synonymous with torture porn, this movie could easily fall into that category, but it shouldn't.  The movie is about vengeance and as we learn in early portion of the movie, The main character's birth name is derived from angel of unique circumstance.
So lets start with The premise, the main character is a survivor of a very brutal rape attack which is shown in quick images or flashbacks to the original movie.  The result of which puts her through the school of Liam Neeson, as she as developed a set of skills that make her an unusually dangerous woman and good at dishing out vengeance to those who deserve it.  In this instalment, we see what happen to the heroine after the first movie concluded, and how she has been able to move on and cope. Seeing a therapist our heroine tries to fit into society, but is surrounded by aggressively evil men, or people with no virtues' intentions. She joins a rape counselling session group and befriends a member, but goes back to her old ways when tragedy hits, and thus dispatches vengeance when justice is not delivered.

For those who are unfamiliar with this particular movie and its original movie staring the its lead actress Sarah Butler, is based on a remake from a 1978 film of the same name.  Which is why my comparative references will be films from 1980's for those seeking out similar themed movies or shared constructs.

For mainstream comparisons you can stop at Charles Bronson Death Wish movies, a quintessential vigilante themed sub-genre.  As I began to watch Grave 3,the earliest connections to other themed based films was to the Avenging Angel Trilogy of movies, which the near end of this movie kind of takes direct reference too.  I recommend for those interested into the psychological end of a similar theme film, seek out ' Ms. 45' ,  Sudden Death, and/or Dressed to Kill.

Spit on your Grave 3 is a direct sequel to the original, it is not as gruesome in comparison, but offers flashes of suggestive violence. Giving account the potential of violence in us all, almost vicariously if allowed; to runaway with our own imagination to extract vengeance or pain on to others. This movie is a reflection of that pool of thought.  The actual descent into vigilante mode takes place in the middle of the second act and the consequences of doing so in the real world, a vigilante with justified intentions is looked upon by the law as no different from the offenders who do harm onto others.  And the final act actually fleshes out that reasoning with some cause and effect stages to drive the point home.  Overall its a homage to 80's films and to its 1978 original, but elevated more to suit todays audience.

Its definitely worth looking at for those who saw the 2010 movie, to get some residual closure, but its a half decent stand alone movie, and empowering in a malevolent way.