Shudder will release Violation on March 25.
Synopsis
With her marriage about to implode, Miriam (Madeleine Sims-Fewer) returns to her hometown to seek solace in the comfort of her younger sister and brother-in-law. But one evening a tiny slip in judgement leads to a catastrophic betrayal, leaving Miriam shocked, reeling, and furious. Believing her only recourse is to exact revenge Miriam takes extreme action, but the price of retribution is high, and she is not prepared for the toll it takes as she begins to emotionally and psychologically unravel.
Review
Over the past few years, Shudder has become the go-to streaming service for horror fanatics due to its range of classic movies, latest hits and great original content. Last year they released the breakout movie Host during the pandemic, and Golden Globe nominee La Llorona which were both two of the biggest films in the horror community during 2020. However, the service has now acquired the rights to a horror film that was a hit at both last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival earlier this year: Violation; is the movie worth watching? Read on to find out.
The premise for Violation is very intriguing; the story centres on a troubled woman, Miriam (Madeleine Sims-Fewer), on the edge of divorce who returns home to her younger sister (Greta played by Anna Maguire) after years apart. But, when her sister and brother-in-law betray her trust, she embarks on a vicious crusade of revenge.
This was my main reason for watching the film. After critical praise and a premise that sounded like something I would enjoy, I finally decided to give Dusty Mancinelli and Madeleine Sims-Fewer’s (who also stars in the film) latest directorial effort a watch and unfortunately, for me, it’s a mixed bag.
The movie is a slow-burn horror that never particularly grabbed me and that made its runtime drag quite a bit. The films first hour is very forgettable and when the film truly peaks in its final hour, it weirdly felt anti-climactic. I can usually gravitate towards slower movies but Violation never clicked with me for the majority of its runtime. Aside from a few unsettling moments that were surprising, I was fairly bored and this sadly was a drag to get through.
The film also ends very abruptly. It felt as if the movie ended in the middle of the scene meaning it wasn’t particularly satisfying and left a bad taste in my mouth by the time is was over.
However, the film does have quite a few merits. Violation features a show-stopping performance from actor & director Madeleine Sims-Fewer which left my jaw on the floor during a specific scene. Every time she is on-screen, she had clear and visible motivations as to why she wanted to get revenge on her sister and brother-in-law. Sims-Fewer kept my eyes glued to the screen and while the film itself was not for me, she is riveting and chews up every scene she is in.
The cinematography is also gorgeous. From the colour palette to the overall look of the film, I was in awe with how Adam Crosby shot Shudder’s latest exclusive. The scenery where Miriam and her sister, Greta, are staying is stunning and easily the biggest standout in this horror film.
Lastly, the screenplay is also very solid; it slowly builds this looming tension through the dialogue and this is when the film worked for me. You feel their plan of revenge slowly coming to the forefront and when you see it on full display, the twists and turns really did shock me.
Verdict
Overall, Violation is a mixed bag. The film features a fantastic lead performance from Madeleine Sims-Fewer which is gripping, shocking and a standout within its overlong 107 minute runtime and Adam Crosby’s cinematography is wonderful, but the slow-burn feel plus the anti-climactic and abrupt finale left this to feel a bit unsatisfactory. If you are a fan of slow-burn horror movies, you may enjoy Violation but it personally wasn’t for me.
Violation was written, produced, and directed by Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli. Sims-Fewer also stars alongside Anna Maguire as Miriam’s sister Greta, Obi Abili as her husband Caleb, and Jesse LaVercombe as brother-in-law Dylan.
Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter @GetYourComicOn, or on Instagram at GetYourComicOn. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected].
