Jason KingVinyan ($13-)
November 16th 2009 09:31
:
ODD, BIZARRE, ART HOUSE HORROR
Category: No Category
VINYAN is a film that takes every parent's worst nightmare and follows it into new realms of sheer horror. This film is what would happen if the Lord of the Flies had unprotected sex with Apocolyspe Now on acid.
After losing their only child in the devastating tsunami of Southeast Asia, Paul (Rufus Sewell, DARK CITY) and Janet Belhmer (Emmanuelle Beart, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE) barely have the strength to go on. Despite being a little disturbed by Janet's seemingly irrational claims that she saw their son in a documentary about the orphans living in the Burmese jungle, Paul shows his support by agreeing to join her on a search for the boy. But what they encounter on their trip are horrors both earthly and ungodly: drug traffickers threaten their lives and the presence of a clan of inexplicably rabid children seem to suggest a fate that goes far beyond death.
The film has been described as art-house horror and I like this description. I could not describe this film as a horror however it is VERY arthouse - some people on IMDB describe it as ridiculous and not even worth a viewing due to it's plot being completely confusing and purposefully misleading. But this film is not about being scared with other teenagers in a cinema while getting your first fondle and devouring popcorn worth a week's wages, it is about how two parents lose their sanity in a very foreign jungle while dealing the possibility of loss and discovery of their missing, more than likely, dead son.
The acting is superb and I totally bought their descent into madness. I have always liked Rufus Sewell and believe this to be one of his better roles. I would like to see more of Emmanuelle Beart, I found her the madder of the two actors and completely bonkers really and was quite confused as to why Sewell's character was going mad at all. The actors did what they could with the surrealism of the story and script. I mean seriously, no sane person would get on a boat with child traffickers, all their money, no way of salvation and head into the jungles of Burma because the back of a head in a video looks like your dead child that disappeared during the tsunami. Thousands of people were washed out to sea or buried under moved land and rubble, they would not end up as child slaves on the other side of Thailand. But a parent dealing with unimaginable grief could do something illogical and unsafe for peace of mind or to chase a hope. And this is what I thoroughly enjoyed about the film.
The other thing I was mesmerised by was the cinematography of Benoit Debie and use of visual effect. From what I have read this was shot on grainy 16mm but I could not tell - I thought it was so sharp and just superb. From nightlcub scenes, to the jungles of Burma and that spectacular ruined home/castle were just brilliant to watch - I would have loved to have seen this on the big screen.
Regardless of if or how you can interpret them - those kids are bloody creepy. I did find it very odd that Emmanuelle Beart got her breasts fondled by tens of kids, while she giggled, this was pure madness for me and also ecstacy that she reached where she wanted to be. And one more sensational thing about this movie was the opening scene. The sound and water and screams were an interpretation of dying and death of the tsunami. I knew I was in for something good as this opened. It was subtle and effective and I did not know what it was really until closer to the end. The film actually caused some controversy by using the tsunami in the story but I do not in anyway see this as being unkind to any deceased people, it is more of a backstory to a horror like film.
I think what let this film down was the fact that it is too art house and "out there". The general public would become confused or angry with it because nothing is really explained, you see an outcome but the film is like a loved one disappearing - it will leave you with no closure. Film types and film students will lap it up as they can debate it for hours and sound all uber intelligent but to be honest I don't understand the film entirely but I do know that I damn well liked it.
No need to debate it for hours - I am way too lazy for that.
It is out now on DVD and is well worth the viewing - be warned, it is not for everyone and can be disturbing and sometimes scary but overall a visual joy. Worth $13-
After losing their only child in the devastating tsunami of Southeast Asia, Paul (Rufus Sewell, DARK CITY) and Janet Belhmer (Emmanuelle Beart, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE) barely have the strength to go on. Despite being a little disturbed by Janet's seemingly irrational claims that she saw their son in a documentary about the orphans living in the Burmese jungle, Paul shows his support by agreeing to join her on a search for the boy. But what they encounter on their trip are horrors both earthly and ungodly: drug traffickers threaten their lives and the presence of a clan of inexplicably rabid children seem to suggest a fate that goes far beyond death.
The film has been described as art-house horror and I like this description. I could not describe this film as a horror however it is VERY arthouse - some people on IMDB describe it as ridiculous and not even worth a viewing due to it's plot being completely confusing and purposefully misleading. But this film is not about being scared with other teenagers in a cinema while getting your first fondle and devouring popcorn worth a week's wages, it is about how two parents lose their sanity in a very foreign jungle while dealing the possibility of loss and discovery of their missing, more than likely, dead son.
The acting is superb and I totally bought their descent into madness. I have always liked Rufus Sewell and believe this to be one of his better roles. I would like to see more of Emmanuelle Beart, I found her the madder of the two actors and completely bonkers really and was quite confused as to why Sewell's character was going mad at all. The actors did what they could with the surrealism of the story and script. I mean seriously, no sane person would get on a boat with child traffickers, all their money, no way of salvation and head into the jungles of Burma because the back of a head in a video looks like your dead child that disappeared during the tsunami. Thousands of people were washed out to sea or buried under moved land and rubble, they would not end up as child slaves on the other side of Thailand. But a parent dealing with unimaginable grief could do something illogical and unsafe for peace of mind or to chase a hope. And this is what I thoroughly enjoyed about the film.
The other thing I was mesmerised by was the cinematography of Benoit Debie and use of visual effect. From what I have read this was shot on grainy 16mm but I could not tell - I thought it was so sharp and just superb. From nightlcub scenes, to the jungles of Burma and that spectacular ruined home/castle were just brilliant to watch - I would have loved to have seen this on the big screen.
Regardless of if or how you can interpret them - those kids are bloody creepy. I did find it very odd that Emmanuelle Beart got her breasts fondled by tens of kids, while she giggled, this was pure madness for me and also ecstacy that she reached where she wanted to be. And one more sensational thing about this movie was the opening scene. The sound and water and screams were an interpretation of dying and death of the tsunami. I knew I was in for something good as this opened. It was subtle and effective and I did not know what it was really until closer to the end. The film actually caused some controversy by using the tsunami in the story but I do not in anyway see this as being unkind to any deceased people, it is more of a backstory to a horror like film.
I think what let this film down was the fact that it is too art house and "out there". The general public would become confused or angry with it because nothing is really explained, you see an outcome but the film is like a loved one disappearing - it will leave you with no closure. Film types and film students will lap it up as they can debate it for hours and sound all uber intelligent but to be honest I don't understand the film entirely but I do know that I damn well liked it.
No need to debate it for hours - I am way too lazy for that.
It is out now on DVD and is well worth the viewing - be warned, it is not for everyone and can be disturbing and sometimes scary but overall a visual joy. Worth $13-
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
I think you will enjoy this one - the second half of the film things heat up and are really enjoyable.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Comment by Tasha
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Thanks for commenting.
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Vinyan
Comment by Anonymous
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness