Rent Brimstone (2016)

Twisted But Spellbinding - Brimstone review by JP

I can't agree with the other review. I found the film powerful and beautifully acted. Yes, the plot is not a sweet one, but there are fanatics and perverts in this world, and Guy Pearce plays one the most loathsome men to hit a movie screen in years. Dakota Fanning is great, and we see her life unfold but not in chronological order which some might find irritating. I loved this ploy. Being an American, I loved seeing the Old West...even if was really filmed in Spain.

Boring - Brimstone review by CP Customer

Fantstic potential given much too slow development and an unbelievable premise. I really didn't care what happened to which character - at the end I wished they were all dead

Exploring the extremes. - Brimstone review by TE

This is a relentless, intense presentation of abuse and desperation.

It makes use of the western genre to develop a feminist take on the silencing of women: the female leads either have their tongues cut out or are made to wear iron masks. This makes for a powerful theme. The world of Brimstone is run by violent men, and the main villain is a murderous sadist.

There is a nod at the end to the survival spirit in the female psyche, but it is at great cost.

My one criticism is that the sheer darkness of it all becomes gruelling. The point could be made with a little less gratuitous violence e.g. the outhouse hanging and the belt-whipping of the young daughter.

Sometimes less is more.

Overlong, slow, feminist-polemic western with a nasty comic character baddie men + lots of violence. - Brimstone review by PV

The most impressive thing about this film is that it's written and directed by a Dutch guy and filmed in Spain, Germany and Hungary. Nothing in north America, but it convinces. The central baddie character is well played by Guy Pearce, though he is rather comic character.

Awful things about this movie are that it is so slow and overlong, and the 2-dimensional characters, esp the men all of whom are bad and nasty in contrast with all the women who are all victims and innocent in everything in every way. Yawn. The film is divided into several 'chapters' which is a trendy arty device, and relationships between people become clearer as we near the end of chapter 2 - at first, one wonders why the mute woman is so terrified of the new preacher. All will become clear...

This no doubt is a nod to the #metoo boohoo man-hating Hollywood fashion - but on the strength of this, such femi-films should be avoided at all costs. This sort of thing turns so easily into a misandrist cartoon with man baddies and woman goodies, if you're not careful. Is that really what an audience wants to see? I don't think so.

Lots of violence but so what? Doesn't bother me coz it's NOT REAL. Plenty of silly stupid cartoon violence in real comic book superhero films which I detest.

I hated the lush string-based sentimental score for this movie - always prodding the audience to cry at the sight of innocent women abused by nasty men - deeply manipulative, that. Ticking the boxes. Awful music.

One issue I always hate about films set in the 19th century - all the actors look TOO healthy and have perfect teeth - unlike REAL people in 19th century and present America (a British charity works for free to give poor Americans healthcare and dental care too, eg in New Orleans after the flood - their teeth are FAR worse than anything in Britain!)

Watch DEADWOOD the great US TV series with Lovejoy actor Ian McShane to see where they nicked a lot from (incl the brothel/bar, the Chinese trader, the pigs eating the corpses). Watch that for a superior version of 19th century America though that is very violent too.

Watch CAPE FEAR too (both versions) as that was a clear influence.

But if you really want to watch a GREAT movie about an evil preacher, then watch NIGHT OF THE HUNTER directed by the great actor Charles Laughton (Henry V!!! in 1930s film and the hunchback of Notre Dame too).

A BRILLIANT movie yet got such bad reviews on release that Laughton decided never to direct another film. Well done, evil critics. Now where did I put those man-eating pigs...

2.5 stars rounded up.

Pointless savagery - Brimstone review by RM

If excessive violence, pointless savagery & hatred of women is your thing. Then this is for you. Not for me.

Grim watching - Brimstone review by Kate

This film was probably one of the most grim films I have ever watched, extremely violent and also pedophilia which was pretty disturbing. If I had realised from the description of the film that it would be that disturbing I would not have added it to my list.

Nasty but well done ! - Brimstone review by AB

I was dreading to watch this film after reading all the reviews... but i can't say i loved it but it kept my interest all the way through.. I rate it a horror film .. The actors helped the plot but just got a little silly in the end...Class it as horror then you know what you are getting ..