Director: Dan Berk / Robert Olsen
Cast Headliners: Bill Skarsgard, Maika Monroe, Jeffrey Donovan, Kyra Sedgwick
Original Release Date: September 20th, 2019 (very limited)
Here's a fun little one
which is especially little as its currently a Regal theaters
exclusive that's not even listed on Wikipedia or IMDB. Villains, an
independent film directed by first timers Dan Berk and Robert Olsen.
A couple of its cast members make it of note but really its premiere
and execution deliver upon it moreso.
Bank robbing deeply in love
criminal couple Mickey(Bill Skarsgard) and Jules(Maika Monroe) hold
up a convenience store but soon find themselves out of gas deep in
the wilderness. They break into a nice mountain home to find supplies
yet also find the chilling sight of a young child Sweetiepie(Blake
Baumgartner) locked up in the basement. The homes owners
George(Jeffrey Donovan) and Gloria(Kyra Sedgwick) come home to
confront them. If the little girl didn't give it away these people
are not just anyone but a pair of insane serial killers. It's
criminal versus criminal with the black comedy-thriller fusion that
follows.
It's a film that can be brutally
bloody and scarily intense yet its presented much more as a dramatic
character study and humorous comedy due to the small cast / location
list involved. The whole thing carries this wacky, quirky vibe to
proceedings with things rarely erupting into more than momentary
violence.
The cast list may be filled with
relative unknowns but the performances are strong. Skarsgard comes
off quite a thriller month although Mickey is very different to
Pennywise. Here he's much more of a nice person that wavers between
cockily brave and neurotically wimpy with some quips at play. It's
not quite a highlight and perhaps one maybe would want more menace
from him but he's ok. More likeable is girlfriend of the duo Jules.
Monroe has her noble intentions amidst some stupidity (that they both
have) but proves herself with some retaliations and ideas with an
even more sincere side. Together they're a lovingly fun pair emphasis
on loving.
These two seem so nice in
comparison to the much more wicked foes they face. The absolute
performance highlight is Donovan's George. With a distinct mustache
and fancy sweatered look he's like an evil southern Mr.Rogers. He
brings a smile with a dark secret underneath but treats everything as
if he's a gentlemen from 1950s high class retro America. Hidden
angers occasionally burst forth which makes his reserved other self
that much more complementary. Sedgwick's Gloria is delightfully
insane as well pairing nicely with him with her own sick insanities
and even slight sympathies. As said this is a movie that trends
towards humorous and absurd then scary with these two making for the
best of it. Little other cast appears with the exceptions of
Sweetie's silent victimhood and a brief police officer played by
Danny Johnson who's look and charisma would make you swear he's Danny
Glover.
For first-timers the Berk /
Olsen team does decently well with their camera work. Whether the
grey forest outside or the retro-styled house interior everything
feels distinct. Some pop songs (especially in dream sequences) and
otherwise orchestral music by composer Andrew Hewitt adds some
momentary spice. It's all presented very snappily over its
relatively brief but intensely fun runtime.
This movie won't blow one's mind
but it has the solid aspects mentioned. A darkly charming indie
darling that's been done before but offers a fun twist and surprise
filled ride of evil-versus-eviler. Check it on home release for
anyone interested in the talent involved or premise knowing its
constraints. 7.8 out of 10
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