Bound to Vengeance

Ever since watching the remake of I Spit on Your Grave (and the far less impressive unnecessary sequels) I've become a big fan of female revenge flicks. Seeing the victim rising from her ashes in order to punish the sick monsters who've done unspeakable things to her, extract her revenge the way we all wish we could - is not only fun and exciting, but therapeutic. Having recognized Bound to Vengeance as such a film, I've immediately set out to watch it.

First thing I must say is that the film resembles I Spit on Your Grave only very remotely, which turned out to be not necessarily a disadvantage. It throws the audience straight into the eye of the storm right after the opening credits, as we meet Eve (excellent acting by Tine Ivlev), the girl who was kidnapped, and Phil (even better acting by Richard Tyson, definitely the star talent), her kidnapper. The film actually begins with Eve managing to not only escape, but trap Phil in her stead. From there, instead of getting as far away as possible, she forces Phil at gun point to take her to all the other girls he has kidnapped. More than vengeance, Eve is bound by a mission - to save the other girls.

While the acting is profound, the story itself becomes less and less authentic and logical, making less and less sense the deeper we go. Many of the actions and occurrences are too hard to believe, and really ruin the suspense of disbelief. Think of a constant reminder shouting "this isn't real, you're watching a fictional film!". A bit of a mood killer... To make things worse - while the twist towards the ending is actually nice (if too predictable due to some irresponsible spoiler-giving screen writing), the ending itself adds a twist which I can only describe as stupid.

All in all, I can't say Bound to Vengeance is a great film, but it does pass as a good one. Watching it is intense, suspenseful and harsh, the soundtrack is excellent, and Eve does manage to squeeze just enough violent vengeance into her tight schedule of saving everyone else. If you don't expect to be amazed - you'll definitely enjoy this one.

PROS: The ending was the star part of the movie, although this part was also cliché it was very entertaining. The acting of characters that weren't stars were played phenomenally, and the stars of the movie were played OK. I liked who the characters were. They were very dynamic and genuine. This helped the plot develop nicely, it filled in holes and showed the watcher certain characters intentions which is always helpful.

CONS: The one con, and the con was really large was the tense scenes weren't tense, and the build up to the heightened scenes were slow or flat. As I was sitting there I was just hoping that the tension would rise, however it just fell flat. I might not have wrote a lot, but the few sentences I did write explained the issues as clear as they could be.

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Bound To Vengeance: Eve (Tina Ivlev) is held as a slave in a basement but manages to overpower and chain her captor, Phil (Richard Tyson). Upstairs she discovers photos of other chained. She forces Phil to bring her to where the girls are held. But things take a decidedly bizarre turn as the captive girls act in strange ways when set free. Eve also has flashbacks of her time in captivity and what happened before that but not of her actual abduction.

A dark film in several senses as much of the action takes place in cellars at night or in dark rooms. Nothing is simple as betrayals emerge and Phil attempts to play mind games with Eve. Violent but much of that savagery is inflicted on slave masters. A complicated tale of vengeance, not for the squeamish or faint hearted. 7/10.

Reminiscent of the exploitation films of the 1970's, Bound to Vengeance is a brutal revenge film that is both gritty and gut- wrenching.

A young girl, barely in her 20's, is chained and held captive in a derelict basement in the middle of nowhere. Making a harrowing escape, she ransacks the home she's been held prisoner in and discovers that other girls like her are experiencing a similar fate. Bound and determined for justice and retribution, she sets her sights on vindication by forcing her captor to reveal the locations of these women so they too can be saved, at any cost.

Independent horror films are a dime a dozen, or so the expression goes. You can get cheap creature flicks, poorly acted and ridiculous slasher films, and on the rare occasion you can get a brutal and original film that merits your attention.

Bound to Vengeance is an intense film unlike most, it is gruesome and refuses to look away at the horrifying reality of sex trafficking and sexual assault. The director Jose Manuel Cravioto does a commendable job at highlighting the trauma these women have suffered without ever actually showing the action of abuse. Through subtle hints, flash backs, and held close up shots on scenery, he conveys to the audience the startling reality these women have endured for an unspoken but long stretch of time. It is amazing what Cravioto does in creating terror and menace just through a held close-up shot of a closed door.

The dynamic between the two leads, Eve and her captor, Phil, is complex and mystifying. Tina Ivlev shines as the strong and determined woman who is willing to die in order to seek her vengeance. Richard Tyson plays a manipulative scumbag who, though bound, uses his words to try to wriggle out of his predicament. They are believable, primal, and scary. Realistically, they bring to life the actions of a predator and victim within the realms of human behavior. At no point does the film feel far reaching and taking too many liberties, and perhaps that is the scariest part.

There is a component of the film that weakens its effectiveness and presence, and that is the use of the camera footage of Eve with her boyfriend Ronnie. Yes, there is a purpose to it however there surely was an alternative way to convey this vital information without coping out through such a weak introduction. The use of this footage lessens the power and strength of the film overall, and comes across as a cheap answer to a film conundrum, like the exhausted technique of voiceovers.

Being thrown into the survival environment created by Bound to Vengeance as an audience member is heart racing and engaging. The film does not waste your time nor deliver cheap formulaic horror we have become accustomed to. It is not perfect, but it is eye opening, gritty, dark and 100% worth the watch.

7.5/10

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Really well acted revenge thriller. Well worn territory but a good one none the less. Recommended for a select audience and the direction is also top-notch. Superior to many other examples of the 'Revenge Chiller' genre and the leading lady gives a solid acting performance.