Interesting, dark, slightly familiar in so many ways...

Rating: 5/10 (2 September 2006)

A great dark film, but when watching it it felt a bit bitter and that there was something completely unoriginal about it. I can see the original storyline and ideas, but there are too many rehashed ideas and moments put together to make something new. I mean a lot of belieavability into the situation, i mean its the ultimate S&M, torture. But the locals truly give the feel of a cross between the locals from 'wicker man (1973)' and 'chainsaw massacre' i mean it even uses music from wickerman and a lot of the look and symbolism is there. A lot of the scenes were graphic and cringing but i feel was kept to a good minimum as it should not take place as the dominant feature in visuals, like 'saw' did and some of the techniques were disturbing and cut scenes kept the imagination at a full which is always good with graphic scenes of this nature. a few things bugged me, the full vendetta involved in it and a few unessary scenes, and it turned up completely random towards the end, it became too random for me towards the climax. and the little children were annoying and a pointless bit of child violence and gave a strange feeling of humour that wasn't needed, or intentional. a good watch but a film buff will notice too much of a collage of multiple films.