Review of Blue Ruin (2014) by Jake S — 20 Oct 2014

Blue Ruin (2014) - Who ever said the revenge movie is dead? Tarantino isn't the only one who can pull it off. After a sloppy assassination attempt, a mysterious man named Dwight (Macon Blair) pays the ultimate price after an act of vengeance gets in the way of his loved ones, resulting in a brutal fight to the finish. This film was completely funded by kick-starter and directed by Jeremy Saulnier.

If you ever wanted an fine example of what can be accomplished with low-budget, minimalist film-making, look no further than "Blue Ruin" to start. This is an expertly crafted thriller where we follow the main protagonist for nearly the entire picture. To make matters more interesting, this is a revenge thriller from the perspective of someone less skilled than a Neeson, Stathom or Cruise; he's an average Joe like you and I, seeking revenge for a deeply painful experience; this in turn makes him very relatable which is vital to this plot. The majority of what makes this film work is its simplicity and its lead actor played by Macon Blair. He's immediately sympathetic as a character with soulful, sad eyes and very expressionistic nuances; he simply nails this role. The movie takes full advantage of quiet ambience mixed with carefully still camera-work which makes for this overwhelming sense of suspense during the film's more gripping moments. This is a tight script; blunt and to the point. It doesn't miss a beat and aims to shock its audience and trust me when I say it succeeds. It's also one of the most gorgeous looking movie's of the year despite its lower price-tag. Beautiful cinematography with a cold colour palette that wastes no use of the colour "blue" as it's aptly titled; I liken its overall approach to filming a thunderstorm. From a distance it can look oddly mesmerizing but the destructive force incoming is inevitable. And this movie certainly hits with a punch, not since 2011's "Drive" have I seen violence this calculated, brisk and realistic. The fact that the movie is grounded near completely in realism also adds a lot of weight to the overall plot and another layer of suspense. I thought it was especially interesting that the lead character doesn't get everything right, in fact he messes up a lot in his revenge plans which is sort of fresh in a way.

Putting it lightly, this is just a damn near perfect revenge thriller not to mention genuinely unique in execution. I hesitate to say that there's really any problems with the movie overall but it should be noted that "Blue Ruin" never rises above its revenge thriller nature. Quite literally, it is what it is and I don't think there's anything wrong with that but someone looking for more might be let down. If you're looking for explosions a minute, a more profound thought provoking message; you're not going to find it here. What you do get is a incredibly well executed, smartly scripted and even thoughtful thriller. It gives you a brief, 90 minute glimpse into what lust, envy and violence can do to not just a single individual's life but an entire family/network of lives. It shows how some unforgiveable acts decay a man's soul and the repercussions of this decay.

If you're looking for a grip the edge of your seat thriller with a relatable and likeable main character that's also under the 2 hour mark, definitely give "Blue Ruin" a look. This film-maker will be on my watch list for years to come from this entry into his catalogue alone. This was a viscerally effective ride that had me from the moment it began. It's one of the best in its this year so what else can I say but see it.

GRADE: A-.