Hounds of Love (2016) Review
Hounds of Love (2016) Review
Loosely based on real-life events, this harrowing psychological thriller from Australian writer-director Ben Young is set to join the likes of The Silence of the Lambs as one of the most gruelling serial killer movies ever realised. In 1980s Perth, Australia, a depraved couple are abducting and murdering young girls.
When seventeen-year-old Vicki Maloney (Ashleigh Cummings) accepts a ride from the duo late one night, she finds herself catapulted into a nightmare beyond her imagining. Bolstered by astonishing performances from its three main leads, Hounds of Love is bold and powerful piece of film-making which proves that Australian genre cinema is alive and well.
HOUNDS OF LOVE is yet another Australian flick that proves that when it comes to grimy, grubby, but well-acted and directed crime thrillers, then Down Under comes out tops, joining the likes of SNOWTOWN and, more recently NITRAM, exhibiting the power to both disturb and keep you watching at the same time.
Loosely based upon the crimes of David and Catherine Birnie, who kidnapped, raped and murdered four women between October and November 1986 – Young’s directorial debut came under fire for being exploitive from the pair’s sole-surviving victim as well as some critics. It’s powerful stuff, brilliantly acted and tense throughout, right up to and including an ending that grips so tight that I was covering my eyes, which is not like me at all.
It’s a tough watch, but somehow you just cannot tear your eyes away from it. You wanna see the bad guys get their comeuppance and you want to see Vicky escape their clutches and it’s that’s that kept me watching. Fortunately much of the violence happens off-screen, or is implied but that doesn’t make it any more comfortable to sit through. It’s a masterclass in tension and the performances are magnetic. This is top drawer stuff, but be warned, it is REALLY strong stuff.
Available to Watch on Arrow Player
https://www.arrow-player.com/packages/hounds-of-love/videos/hounds-of-love
Also Arrow would like you to know that “Vengeance is Mine All Others Pay Cash” is available now on ARROW and released on Blu-ray from 19th September” – It’s a Drama Romance, in case you are interested, not a horror film
