Review of Horsemen (2009) by Jack L — 19 Sep 2012

History, hypothetically, states that our universe was created from a big bang explosion. Leaving behind the scientific aspect, you cannot subjugate the notion of underlying violence (explosion, destruction etc.) preceding our very own creation. The same is quantified by all our religious scriptures but in the name of indigestible phenomenon called - Redemption, Truth triumphs, Goodness prevails etc. Given that violence is ubiquitous it depends on human spirit when it comes to adaptation and perseverance. The movie "Horsemen" carefully treads on the same silver lining without getting thunderstruck.

Plot:

Detective Aiden Breslin (Dennis Quaid) is a widower survived by his two little boys. He takes his wife's death a bit too harshly on himself leading to a huge emotional chasm in his paternal duty. As he tries to battle his emotional demons there is another thing bothering him - a series of violent killings with indecipherable "COME AND SEE" invites written all over them. He gets down to his usual business of compulsive investigation and is shocked to find a religious anklet tied to it. What is the revelation and how he goes about unraveling the bloody knot forms the crux of this gripping yet mysterious tale.

Dennis Quaid is the only notable soul and he does justice as far and deep as he can. As an oppressed widower emotionally battling with his kids he is more than believable. The characteristic aspect of getting squished between duty, family and obsessive twist towards responsibility is aptly captured. The remaining major characters are kids and they do their part in enamoring violence as a means to overcome the important gaps in their lives (be it violent abuse or silent refuse).

Analysis:

There is no aspect of slag in the film's overall run. The director Jonas Akerlund dives directly in to the main aspect right from the word go. Extreme violence depicted in the film might not gel well with all forms of audience but is extremely important in terms of driving a point. Picking up violence as a means to justify their battered and tattered emotional lives (for their age) might seem a bit above the curve. At the same time it stands as a rising testimony to the devilish acts of human existence.

In the midst of all this violence the film tries to pass a softer message towards child abuse, good care for your kith & kin, compassion, non-violence and reasonable cut off points to everything in life (devotion, love, duty etc.).

Religious aspect:

The main concept of "Horsemen" comes directly from Bible - The Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (Conquest, War, Famine and Death). God or supreme power uses the above to inflict divine apocalypse on the world as a last judgement.

Keeping aside belief in such doctrines the movie casts a dark shadow on picking up evil practices in the name of religion. For all the believers it's time we let god do his job and not try to make religion our means of violent existence.