MovieChat Forums > The Horseman (2009) Discussion > Well made, but so what?

Well made, but so what?


It's been done a thousand times before. I'd put it in the top 20%, but there's no hook, there's nothing to really set it apart. I suppose if I were Australian and really wanted to see a by-the-numbers revenge flick with Australian accents, then I'd be attracted to this.

Honestly, though, my first reaction was, "Crap, I could have re-watched Mad Max with that time."

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can you really expect anything more from gore porn? your opinion still puts it above most of its peers

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can you really expect anything more from gore porn? your opinion still puts it above most of its peers

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You are right, it is pretty much just a torture porn experience, with a story thrown it to try and justify it. I remember the opening screening where the director spoke with the audience. He said he likes to see torture in films. Ergo he likes to see torture. What a guy.

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I liked it, I felt the lead character had genuinely lost his mind and made me sympathise with him, great acting. It was a very physical movie for all concerned too, I think a lot of hard work went into it :)

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Oh, another disappointed online film critic. The movie was great!

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Well-made, in a genre that I enjoy, is all that I'm looking for with any film. So re "so what," that's more than enough for me.

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Mainly the performance of the actors was kind of mesmerizing to me. It had a weird and raw kind of edginess: an unusual concoction of vulnerability and violence, and the male lead was rather interesting for simply being rather average-looking in a way that was easy to relate towards.

I imagine it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I related to the male lead in ways that I usually can't as much in a more polished kind of Hollywood film.

Some people describe this film as gore porn for the mere fact that it's violent but I don't really even remember the gore in this film. I mainly remember the lead's performance. To me it's more of a drama of a kind that I don't see *that* often.

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Unlike most so-called torture porn, this film really makes you question your morality. Great acting from the lead puts this several notches above most revenge flicks.

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