Review of The Horseman (2008) by Trent R — 17 Mar 2010

Maybe this film has been confused with the plural Horsemen w/ Dennis Quaid from the following year. Anyway, it is a solid Aussie revenger much better than it's higher profile cousin. The story is revealed through action, which while extremely violent, serves specific purpose and moral outlook. Even the most abhorrent men in this are shown at key moments to have spouses and families of a sort, they are as real as the protagonist - which of course makes their behavior all the more disturbing.

The violence shown is highly realistic, but clipped in a shorthand that allows some relief for the cast but not much for the audience. Although there is a lot of handheld, it does not devolve into full-on shaky cam laziness. Rather, there is clearly a careful choreography providing tension and reversals while maintaining plausibility. The director was also editor, which shows to good effect. It is not quite as linear or tear-jerking as the description might lead you to believe. Probably best to not keep an eye on the running time while watching.