Review of The Ugly (1997) by Green P — 01 Jan 2008

The Ugly is a story set in a secure psychiatric unit in New Zealand. A psychologist arrives to give an external opinion on the case of a multiple murderer, being held under a cruel regime by an eccentric governor and his orderlies.

As the film progresses, it raises questions of how some people end up on the inside of the bars and other people on the outside. The two orderlies have little else to occupy their time but to practise their martial arts punches on their hooded captive. The governor is unwelcoming, eccentric and offensive and turns a blind eye to the abuses inflicted on the prisoner. The visiting psychologist, although initially apparently sympathetic to the situation of the inmate, herself behaves in a strangely cruel way. A young attractive woman, she dresses slightly provocatively although her charms do little to endear anyone towards her. Her own interview method itself begins with soft support but eventually becomes frustrated and aggressive. And the prisoner himself, who was driven to his crimes by seeing and hearing ghouls pressuring him to kill again, is desperate to help the psychologist in any way he can, if he can just be let out of his cuffs ... just for a short time.

The whole atmosphere to this film is eerie and unusual. There only appear to be three institute staff, the two orderlies and the governor resident in the entire building. There also appears to be only one other patient, an unrestrained old lady with a pair of glasses that enable her to "see" her co-inmate's ghouls.

The story of the inmate's life and crimes is built up gradually and with good effect, the psychologist appearing with him in his memories as he relives what brought him to the institute. The pace of the film builds steadily, as questions are raised about just how much the governor knows ... or can possibly see ... regarding the supernatural ghouls that are plaguing their killer victim, and that the psychologist refuses to believe in.

The climax of the film is refreshingly dark and unusual, and overall "The Ugly", whilst it may not be everyone's cup of tea, certainly did it for me with its eerie stormy atmosphere, well acted weird characters, and the claustrophobic grimness of a bizarre reality within the walls of an isolated institute.