Rating of
2.5/4
Bad Weekend at Black Rock
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/21/13
While many thrillers and horror movies have plenty of violence, many of them are so stylized or over-the-top that even the most blood-drenched gore-fest seems laughable. What sets Black Rock apart is that the violence here feels much more brutal because it's all up close and personal - no machetes, chainsaws or other crazy weapons - just fists and close melee combat. Yes, there are guns as well (and they play a role) but it's the visceral, hand-to-hand scenes that make you squirm.
What begins as an outing for three girlfriends to help catch up with each other turns into a fight for survival. The three women come across three men - war veterans (dishonorably discharged for being too violent, of course) and, after one of the men attempts to rape one of the girls, she retaliates and winds up killing him. The remaining two tie up the women and argue over what the best way to get rid of them is going to be.
Other than Kate Bosworth, the cast is relatively unknown with most of the actors having done more TV than film. It does make things a bit raw in the acting department, but for this kind of film it actually works in its favor. Nothing feels too polished, but that just makes the experience all that more personal. I do have to say, this type of violence will turn a lot of people off - and I understand. It really goes to show how far people will go to survive - and it's always easier to do that when you have someone you can trust along with you.
This is the type of film that goes under the radar and I was surprised to see Mark Duplass (known more for black comedy type films such as Cyrus, Jeff, Who Lives at Home and the The Do-Deca-Pentathlon) was a writer. He apparently teamed up with his wife Katie Aselton (who also played one of the women in the film) on this. I have to say, after seeing what they actually went through for filming (including an extended scene in near-freezing water) the effort to make the film realistic is there.
Are there times when the dialogue doesn't work? Yes - it can get a bit clunky. But the characters have a great connection (both on and off screen) and it shows. But it's really going to be your tolerance for violence that will be the determining factor here. There are underlying themes, but overall, this is about survival, through and through.
