A damn good thriller that some critics who don’t see many horror movies will tell you is the most brutal, bloody nerve-shredder in years. It’s not. At least if you’re a horror fan. Most of the violence in this story of a small-time punk band on tour who stumble into some seedy business when they take a last-minute, desperate-for-gas-money gig at an underground White Power show in the rural Pacific Northwest are routine shootings and stabbings, with a few gross moments that come and go in a flash. Maybe these critics are merely disturbed by seeing Jean-Luc Picard himself (Patrick Stewart) play the leader of the Nazis. If you’re already well-versed in your Fulci, Argento, Hooper and Craven though, you’ll be able to eat a meatball sandwich while you watch this just fine. For us freaks, this is PG-13 stuff.
That doesn’t take anything away from how GOOD it is, though. The suspense here is stretched taut and not only can any character die at any time, but writer/director Jeremy Saulnier refuses to stand on ceremony over any of the deaths. None of them get special attention or poignant farewells. They’re merely dead meat cut down in the midst of this film’s hostage situation and that’s that. The still-living characters are too busy. This is not a film about death; it’s about survival.
Still, the best parts are the punk band slice-of-life scenes early in the film, before the blood spills. It’s not slicked up, like most movies. This isn’t Ivan and the Terribles from Motel Hell. Saulnier captures the sweat and money problems and annoyances of a young band on the road. No one is beautiful. No one is a star. They’re just a bunch of punk rock pencil-necks who give bullshit interviews to low-level zinesters and who have no fucking idea what to do when their lives are suddenly in danger. No one in the band is a secret ninja or weapons expert. They handle guns with even less proficiency than they handle their instruments.
Meanwhile, the bad guys aren’t much better. They’re not used to excitement like this out there in the sticks. They fumble and bumble every evil act. They’re dangerous, yet disorganized. Hitler would shake his head.
Saulnier covered similar territory in his previous film Blue Ruin, a noir thriller that centers on a guy who has no business being in a noir thriller. This movie plays with a similar idea and is just about as good. It’s worth a ride if you’re up for a rollercoaster.