X: Night of Vengeance

X: Night of Vengeance is a sexy thriller from Aussie directer Jon Hewitt. Holly Rowe (Viva Bianca), A jaded call-girl sick of the high life wants out and Shay Ryan (Hanna Mangan Lawrence), a fledgling hooker only after money for food takes to the worlds oldest profession to be able to do this.

Holly with dreams for Paris needs a girl for a threesome with her last client, Shay feeling lost and alone, and her first night in Sydney starts working the street just to be able to buy food. Shay is young and nubile, and other more experienced crack whores are getting jealous and losing customers, they seek her out try to force her of their strip. Shay upset and angry is becoming more desperate, she is spotted by holly and offered the threesome with her and the high rolling drug dealing client, which turns sour when a crooked cop shows up and shoots the dealer to which Holly and Shay witness. It then becomes a race for survival from the cop who now wants them dead.

The first half showed Holly and Shay, kind of set in to two different scenarios, Holly being a high end call girl, showing her dealing with her rich and successful customers, and Shay working the corner around Sydney kings cross waiting for whoever would stop.

This was a beautifully shot film that had elements that had a really gritty noir feel to it, while other elements kind of had a European art house feel to them, this was a nicely set contrast.

From watching the first half it is hard to believe that this is a thriller, and in the last half the action rolls through with its gritty authenticity.

The only let down was the plot itself, it was simple to follow, but I felt watching that it took awhile to take off, I think some different aspects of character development could of been added.

Regardless of this it’s a cool film with the first half kinda like a gritty Agent Provocateur ad and the second half a nice suspense thriller.

The Pefect Host

David Hyde Peirce is an actor who I really enjoyed watching as Niles Crane on Frasier, all them years ago, but it is nice to see him unleash as a psychotic maniac. A down on his luck career criminal John Taylor (Clayne Crawford), robs a bank, and during this robbery takes an injury to his foot, now on the run, he cons his way into a dinner party, that of Warwick Wilson. A sociopath with a severe case of split personality disorder.

Warwick Wilson is being the perfect host, offering food and drink, a cheeky little bottle of red wine. The viewer would at first think, as this unfolds, were lead to believe that John is in control, and would take lead in a kidnap. But the red wine was nasty, as John awakes from his drugged out sleep, he realises tables are now turned and he is about to become a victim of Warwick’s murderous escapades.

Tied to a chair we see the guests have arrived, each and everyone quirky, a pigment of Warwick Wilson’s persona. As the clock ticks on, and after numerous attempts for escape, as of which it unfolds with a nice twist. David Hyde Peirce played out as a sociopath brilliantly, it was nice to see a talented actor do so. Clayne Crawford’s performance as bank robber turned victim was also nice to watch, as the twists unfold the sympathy we build with the characters changes, when it gets to the final scene we understand some motives of these characters

This is a good thriller, that contains plenty of twist and turns to keep one captivated, and enthralled to the end. It’s a story driven movie, we learn why John needs to rob a bank, and that it isn’t for selfish reasons, but to help his girlfriend. the movie itself was very stylish set in a big home with modern decor, It also had it element of comedic value which doesn’t go unnoticed.

Primarily here at my Web Blog I like to generally chat about horror themed movies this of which isn’t one. This is a great thriller, which includes some nicely timed twist and turns and a underlying comedic tone which plays more to Warwick and his posse of quirky house guests.

Definitely worth a check.