If you’re looking for a fun, gore-soaked,weird good time, then you’ve come to the right place. The Loved Ones is directed by Sean Byrne and stars Xavier Samuel and Robin McLeavy. The school dance is fast approaching, and Lola (McLeavy) has her eye set on the perfect guy: Brent (Samuel). She asks him to be her date to the dance. All good right? WRONG. He already has a girlfriend and rejects Lola. So Lola and her dad kidnap and torture Brent in retaliation.
I thought the acting was pretty solid, over-all. McLeavy is a delight, making you both care for and despise Lola, while Xavier Samuel brings a sensitivity and strength to Brent. He’s a good guy who got himself into a shitty situation. Some of the supporting characters felt throw away, though, or were a little too hammy for my tastes.
The gore in the film was fantastic. It was never over-used, but was effective when it was utilized. Knives pierce flesh, drills crack skulls, and forks are used to carve hearts into bodies.
The story is fairly simple, but does the job, considering the type of film this is. Oh, and the soundtrack? AWESOME.
Is this film amazing? No. What is it? FUN. If you love fun, gore-soaked thrillers, definitely give The Loved Ones a watch.
Verdict: 3.5/5
You can watch the full film here, thanks to the Paramount Vault.
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