"A
hateful and empty killing spree of a female vigilante.”
I Spit on Your Grave
is perhaps one of the most notorious slasher film franchises. It is shamelessly
brutal as abused women strikes back by torturing their tormenters with various
acts of persecution like feeding them to the rats and exceptionally mutilating
their genitals. From Meir Zarchi’s 1978 original movie, it was rebooted in 2010
by Steven R. Monroe. The next sequel followed in 2013 by the same director.
2015 does not end without seeing the latest instalment in the series. R.D. Braunstein’s I Spit on Your Grave 3:
Vengeance is Mine has no connection to the 2013 film; instead, it goes back
and follows the events after the 2010 remake.
Sarah Butler reprises her role as Jennifer Hills. After
cold-bloodedly murdering her rapists, Jennifer changes cities and goes with a
new name – Angela. She constantly sees a psychiatrist (Harley Jane Kozak) and
attends a support group for rape victims in hopes of easing her anger and
emotional burdens. There, she meets a father (Doug McKeon) who grieves for her
daughter who dies from the same violence and another juvenile who is
consistently forced by her step-father. But Angela is more intrigued with Marla (Jennifer Landon), a strong-willed victim who channels her
rage into vigilant acts. Together, they spend the nights drinking and assaulting
drunken men.
But Angela snaps again when Marla is found dead, presumably
killed by her ex-boyfriend. With her anger rising up again, she launches
another vengeful war against the opposite gender and kills repugnant males she
recognizes. It is not an easy battle though as a no-nonsense cop (Gabriel Hogan) and his superior (Michelle Hurd) are also hot on her tails.
I Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine is a surprising departure from the formula that
worked for the first two films. Nevertheless, it remains interestingly twisted,
cringe-worthy and intensely sadistic. Instead of focusing more on the physical
brutality, it gives a closer examination on the psychological and emotional
toll of the experience on the rape victims. It is never boring as dramatic
self-reflective moments are interspersed with physical violence. As expected,
kills are always appalling and haunting. Notable sequences are when Angela
hammered a pipe into a man’s ass and when she suckled a male’s lollipop only to
chop off its head and split the shaft into two blood-spewing halves.
However, the film is a hateful thing in its core. Its hatred
is boundless and aimless. Angela or Jennifer already has her revenge on the
first film (that’s enough!) but her motivation in this sequel is just too dense
and absurd that her killing spree is not justifiable or enjoyable. She elicits
sympathy before but she draws nothing now except pity and annoyance. There is no
more sense of relief in her revenge and her heinous acts feel empty. They are
not anymore female heroics; they are simply excuses to unleash her wrath and
spread violence.
Butler is once again devoted to her character. She is
engrossing and exciting but the material, supporting cast and general direction
fail to make a satisfying whole. Overall, I
Spit on Your Grave 3: Vengeance is Mine is an empty montage of violence
by an angry female.
Production company: Cinetel Films
Cast: Sarah Butler, Jennifer Landon,
Gabriel Hogan, Harley Jane Kozak, Michelle Hurd, Russell Charles Pitts, Walter
Perez
Director: R.D. Braunstein
Screenwriter: Daniel Gilboy
Producers: Adam Driscoll, Neil Elman,
Anthony Frankhauser, Lisa M. Hansen, Paul Hertzberg, Kevin Kasha, Gary Needle,
Richard Schenkman, Meir Zarchi
Directors of photography: Richard J. Vialet
Production designer: Gladys Rodriguez
Costume designer: Anninka Velie
Editor: Ana Florit
Music: Edwin Wendler
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