The Loved Ones. One F&^ked Up Movie. But In A Good Way

I must admit, I had no idea what this movie was about when I first received free tickets to go to a screening of this film. I went about doing some research on the web and found out that it had been doing the rounds at a few festivals, had a guy from Eclipse as the lead actor and that it was an Aussie horror film. Okay, I thought it might be interesting and with a catchy review quoting it as "Pretty in Pink meets Wolf Creek" I was intrigued. As I sat back in my chair I was not at all prepared for what I was about to watch (and let me just say in many places I was ready to walk out). But the more I have taken in absorbing the film (and also a Q& A with both the director and one of the most vicious and disturbing characters ever created) I suddenly changed my opinion. The Loved Ones is one Aussie horror movie that you will not forget anytime soon. Let me begin.

Brent (Xavier Samuel - Eclipse) is a young man in his last year at school. Earlier in the year though, Brent had been driving with his father and suddenly due to seeing something (or was it someone) had a accident hitting a tree and killing his father. Living with the guilt and his alcoholic mother, Brent decides to do what he usually does and gets high while searching the small outback town. As the senior dance is upon them, Brent is going with his steady girlfriend Holly (Victoria Thaine) although a loner girl who has a crush on him Lola (Robin McLeavy) wants him to be her date. On rejection Lola is quickly annoyed and sends about her Daddy (John Brumpton) to quickly make him her date. What becomes next is not for the faint hearted at all (Let me just say it involves knives, power tools, salt and hot water) Brent is abducted and taken to Lola's home, being strapped down and forced to endure plenty of painful torture by both Lola and her Daddy while being Lola's date for her school dance taking place at her home. As time starts to run out, will Brent survive? Will Lola have her perfect dance? Will Holly find her date? You will have to see to find out.

This movie is disturbing to say the least, but also had some genuinely funny moments. The acting is amazing and shows that Australia has got much talent. I can not praise enough Robin McLeavy. This actress has so much going on for her, and let me say she scared the shit out of people in the cinema. While speaking with her at the Q&A this shy, normal twenty something girl just proved how talented she really was on screen, because becoming Lola would not be an easy task. She gives enough twisted and sinister creepy emotion to Lola that it takes a strong actress to really give people the creeps. Think a cross between Kathy Bates in Misery and Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female and you have Lola. Xavier Samuel is another young actor to watch. This kid goes through so much pain in this movie you feel for him, but also can't wait for him to get his sweet revenge. The pain this kid goes through is not for the faint hearted.

But I'm not going to forget the director Sean Byrne. As writer and director Sean has used elements of old school movies (like the Evil Dead series) to bring back the old school horror. Using no CGI and instruments that you would not think could be so painful to watch in a horror movie, he takes you to the edge of your comfort zone without pushing the envelope too far to completely lose his audience. This guy has talent as proving with a shoe string budget you can give an audience chills and scares to rival those of a big Hollywood blockbuster.

Don't get me wrong though, as I said at the start of the review therewere many times that I wanted to walk out of the cinema. In some parts it was so over the top and gruesome I thought this is just plain disgusting and really why am I watching this. But there was something there that kept me watching, and I really think it was the amazing acting of Robing McLeavy. Listening to the Q&R of the director and main star Robin I was moved by their passion for the film and I understood more the vision they were trying to bring to the screen and with that they gained a bit more of a positive influence to my viewing of the film. All up I have to say I didn't love this movie, but I do feel that it is a worthy movie to be placed in the Australian cinema field. Lola in my mind is going to go down as one of the scariest characters to ever grace a horror movie. This chick is nasty and I ain't holding back here by saying she is one crazy f*(ked up chick. The Loved Ones may not be a fantastic film, but it sure is one you are not going to forget in a long time. Trust me on this. 7/10