Review of Bereavement (2010) by Niklas S — 05 Sep 2011

Watched this as I love Daddario. I love that she's finally the lead in a film.

It's kind of amazing the way the killer kills every side character in the film, and even more amazing that Daddario herself is killed by the young boy he took on as a protege (who isn't suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, as he far from loves his captor, but is certainly suffering from some similar kind of attachment).

Once this happens you realise what the film is primarily about, which is nurture being the dominant factor in determining any human's personality and morals, rather than nature (I like this stance, as I too believe it's no less than 98% nurture). There's that important line that the teacher delivers, where he explains the nature/nurture debate, which is essentially the most important line (or several lines) in the film.

It looks like the boy is resisting being like his captor, then when he kills Daddario it proves the upbringing of a killer has indeed turned him into a killer too. And then he goes on to kill his nutty, God-worshiping captor also, and then effectively becomes him and takes his place - right down to worshipping that skull God.

All of the "if they don't have fear, then why do they run" stuff was good and thought provoking, even if it came from a mad man.

It's just awesome (disturbing, but cool) when the killer hooks the girl who is trying to escape up by the leg then wheels her, hanging into the furnace, turns it on and shuts the door. Cold stuff.

We got Biehn, which was cool, and it says on the right that Peyton List - who I know really well from various other things - was in this, but I don't remember her being in it at all. I think it's wrong.