j* Movie Reviews 2019

A Vigilante (2018)

This is the best female vigilante movie I have ever seen!

Vigilante is not exactly my genre. But this is breathtaking. Literally, you take breath and hold wondering how scenarios will play out. It can be a bit gracious and slow, but the pent up emotion is worth it.

This is all about domestic violence and avenging it. Our main hero is played by Olivia Wilde... she can seem super familiar and that's because she is probably most recognisable from House where she played (Dr) "Thirteen". I felt like I already knew her. She is in a home for beaten women, and also playing the part of the vigilante who helps other women and children leave their violent home-lives. Or more correctly, helps the abusers out of the homes. She has a secret number and people call her when they need her.

She's also, as many vigilantes are, on her own personal mission. But to talk about that risks the many great reveals along the way. This is a gruelling film, although not a super punch-up violent one. Much of the violence happens off camera and it bears the weight of implied horror... the unseen and imagined is far worse than what could be shown.

What you get a heap of in this is amazing female faces that are for all intents and purposes grippingly real. There are conversations in the group therapy where the women are so amazingly real and I just couldn't imagine anyone scripting dialogue so humanly spoken. There are faces that are worn and gritty and so human. Sadie (Wilde) has so many heartwrenching emotional breakdowns in this, intense periods of semi-ritualised grief and purging and powering-up.

It's probably a great film for anyone who's ever been through a seriously "F*ck that sh*t" break up. So many great emotions so powerfully visualised. Excellent nods here to the role of makeup both as a meta-concept in film and as a domestic violence staple.

Huge shout out to director Sarah Daggar-Nickson who has made a pretty amazing debut feature here. Gorgeous to see this premise so well realised, and the characters given so much time to breathe. It might feel slow to some, and there's not much dialogue.

But it's breathtaking.

J* gives it 5 stars.