Prevenge
Name: Prevenge
Directed By: Alice Lowe
Subgenre: Comedy, Slasher
Series: Spooktober 2019 entry #9; review #40
Review: Prevenge follows Ruth as she goes on a killing spree inspired by the psychic commands of her prenatal child. And folks, this is how you do a black comedy (still looking at you, Hank Boyd is Dead)! Prevenge was written and directed by, and stars, Alice Lowe, who also happened to be pregnant at the time of filming. However, just because the film is female-forward doesn't mean it is overtly feminist*; in fact, you could make a decent argument for it being the opposite (given Ruth's motivations, conscious or not). That aside, Prevenge is one of the better modern slashers around, as the killer is the central protagonist (à la Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer); Ruth is simultaneously sympathetic as a character yet utterly ruthless when she gives in to the homicidal directives of her uterine antagonist. While the kills aren't particularly brutal themselves, there's some decent gore effects in a few rare shots. Side note, the soundtrack oozed John Carpenter vibes, and that's great in my book. All in all, if you want a female fronted, transgressive slasher with a gonzo plot but an execution that's far from campy, check out Prevenge. *. At least per the director's commentary, and don't take that as me insinuating that overtly-feminist horror is a bad thing. One of the intriguing points of the film's direction was that it clearly has a lot to say but allows the viewer to decide for themselves what to take from the it. I'm definitely interested in your take on the matter--leave a comment below!
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