Review of Sadgati (1981) by Wayne K — 20 Apr 2016

A harsh, gritty and uncompromising parable about the civilised world encountering the brutality of nature, Deliverance may be one of the cheapest major movies ever made, but it made a huge splash in the cinematic pond back in 1972, and decades later still has the power to shock and disturb.

Utilising long takes to create an atmosphere of discomfort and a near complete absence of music to emphasise the desolation, the woods have rarely seemed so creepy in the daylight. In his best moments, Burt Reynolds echoes the late Marlon Brando in his heyday, with a sly grin and cocksure machismo, and the supporting players all bring something to the table.

The film works with subtlety and suspense, eliciting shocks by developing a sense of dread and not with cheap jump scares. The ending is the weakest part of the film, feeling rushed and somewhat tagged on, like the filmmakers were forced to create a hasty dénouement rather than leaving the men's fates and mental states undetermined, which would have been more powerful.

It has many standout moments, among them the iconic duelling banjos and squealing like a piggy, and while its muted nature renders it a tad boring at times, it still works as a tense thriller and an examination of the dark side of human nature.