Review of August Underground's Penance (2007) by Thomas D — 24 Dec 2010

25 DAYS OF HELLIDAY HORROR.

#23: August Underground's Penance (2007).

"On the 23rd day of Christmas the internet gave to me...August...Underground part three! 3 sawed off arms, 2 hammers to the head, 1 gallon of blood to drink...and a family to rape by the Christmas tree!".

--I know, pretty twisted, but so is this movie!--.

There is much to be said about director/ star Fred Vogel's 3rd addition to the 'August Underground' series. For one, it is downright disgusting! It is a form of modern day, stylized smut. Penance, as well as the rest of the series, is very, very graphic. Ranging from necrophilia, rape, dismemberment, the removal of intestines etc. Basically it centers on a psychopathic couple (Fred Vogel & Cristie Whiles) who engage in a homicidal killing spree of innocent people right around the holidays! It specializes in shock value and overall filth and raunch. I figured it would fit perfectly into '25 Days of Helliday Horror'...It turns out I was right!

Overall: 'Penance' was actually enjoyable in a sadistic kind of way. The plot stays consistent, yet it feels very diluted as we watch the killers just screw off and do random shit like cut up a deer and feed it to a lion, terrorize homeless people, and sit around doing coke while listening to death metal.

The Christmas Scene:

Although the 'Christmas scene' doesn't actually occur until almost 30 minutes into the movie (lasting only about 15-20 minutes) It still holds strong as the most memorable and shocking part of the entire film. It was probably one of the least gory parts, but it was also one of the most realistic and frightening. The killers break into a random house on Christmas eve and brutally beat, kill and rape an entire family including a 9 year old little girl in front of the Christmas tree! It is just downright evil.

The remainder of the film is very cold and snowy and feels like it is the end of the year. There is even a few scenes that show fireworks, hinting at New Years. All of the gut wrenching scenes of entrails and blood all look very real for the most part. That seemed to be Vogel's main concern is a specialization in macabre realism. As the killers perform their gruesome tasks, they enjoy it all with almost surreal pleasure (laughing, partying, drinking the blood of their victims etc.) Later on in the film, these same vicious killers begin to develop a conscience that soon bares a heavy weight on their shoulders. Much of the acting is sub-par, but it works because it just seems like a regular part of their everyday recorded nightmares. The scenes of torture and dismemberment are actually very realistic, so be prepared. Regular gore hounds may just consider this a normal watch, but anybody else, beware, Penance is low-budget and VERY GRAPHIC! It's that one semi-Xmas themed film that will instill some fear of realism and definitely have you locking your doors on Christmas Eve!