Reviews From the Horror Chamber: Hard Revenge Milly, Hard Revenge Milly:Bloody Battle, Spirit

It’s back and its better than ever. Welcome to Reviews From the Horror Chamber. This column used to be a regular here on this site back when the site began up until June of last year. Then I personally got back up with site business and also became site administrator too during the gap between editions. But now it’s back, as this column will continue to review some of the latest indie horror films, but now where also adding exploitation and grindhouse type films to the column. I hope every one enjoys this column and support independent horror. Now on to the reviews.


Hard Revenge Milly
Year: 2010
Director: Takanori Tsujimoto
Stars: Miki Mizuno
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Well-Go USA
Running Time: 44 Mins




“Hard Revenge Milly” takes place in a post apocalyptic world, Yokohama City has become the epicenter of violence. The city is ruled by a vicious gang known as “The Jack Brothers”. They leave Milly there to die after they murdered her husband and daughter. Now, she’s out to gain revenge on those who left her there for dead. She begins to learn the art of sword combat to confront these people and get retribution on those who destroyed her life.

“Hard Revenge Milly” is one very gory and bad ass sci-fi flick. Writer/director Takanori Tsujimoto does a very good job making this one of those sci-fi action flicks that’s packed with a lot of action. The reason the action works, the sequences were directed and choreographed very well. The scenes were intense and very bloody, as any of fans of Asian cinema will enjoy. He directs them in a way, so that you canbe invested in the main character and allows time between sequences to get into the story of film.

The screenplay written also by Tsujimoto does a good job providing a story that gives an adrenaline rush that is needed for a film of this caliber to succeed. One of the reasons why this story works for me, he gives the main character a backstory that would make her very dark and morbid. By doing that, it makes the tone of the film dark and not cheesy. It really gets you invested in the character, because without that this would just bea basic shoot em up film. Tsujimoto also blends the sci-fi elements into the story, very well, especially towards the end of the film. It gives an added surprise, as I was going into this film thinking that this would be your typical Asian action film more in the lines of “Mad Max“.

“Hard Revenge Milly” is a bad ass short that packed a lot of action that would make some action sci/fi films look like a Disney film.

Review Rating: Four Stars

Next on the docket, is the film’s sequel, “Hard Revenge Milly“: Bloody Battles.

Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battle
Year: 2010
Director: Takanori Tsujimoto
Stars: Miki Mizuno, Nao Nagazawa
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Well-Go USA
Running Time: 71 Mins

“Hard Revenge Milly“: Bloody Battles picks up after the first film, when Haru, a beautiful girl asks her for helpwhen her boyfriend is brutally murdered. Milly ignores her at first, but begins to her thirst for vengeance. She then begins to train her but an admirer of Jack’s are looking for revenge and in the process injures her severe . Can Milly survive this latest onslaught and Haru exact revenge before it’s too late.

“Hard Revenge Milly“: Bloody Battles does a good job picking off where the predecessor left off. Takanori Tsujimoto does a good job keeping the elements that made the short work, while adding new things to the story. I liked how Tsujimoto does a good job keeps this balls out mentality that makes this character worth watching. The blood and the choreographed action is directed in a way that make that gets you into the flow of the film.

The screenplay is what makes the film slightly better from the short. I liked how Tsujimoto does a good job exploring the character through her emotions. In the first film, the character was for one dimensional. Here, there is more emotion which keeps the character interesting. He also does that by keeping this from being a copy of the original, by exploring the character’s emotions and adding more tension to the story by keeping the viewer off guard through the twist and the character development. By doing that, it adds some surprise to the story.

Hard Revenge Milly: Bloody Battles is an action packed film that packs power. The film can be found on the “Hard Revenge Milly” DVD.

Review Rating: Four Stars

Spirit
Year: 2010
Director: Mark Wagner
Stars: Ashley Bryant, Megan Braithwaite, Kimberley Zagoren
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Tempe Video / St Lindsey Pictures
Running Time: 75 Mins





"Spirit” is about a family have embraced their negativity after years of bad luck. Only their youngest daughter is trying to keep the family together. Soon she begins to question her own faith, when an evil spirit attacks the family. Now, she is forced to stop all the negativity that lies within the family, before there negaitive energy manifests and drags the whole family into the darkness.

I didn’t expect a lot going into “Spirit, but for the most part I thought this was an entertaining chamber drama. Director Mark Wagner does a good job keeping this film from becoming a snooze fest, which it could have become easily. He does that, by moving the action along and getting the most out of his budget by creating basic ghostly images and effects to give the sense that your watching a paranormal horror film. It also makes you forget some of the mistakes with the lighting and everything. The acting here was also good, as it didn’t deter from the story and got me interested in the characters. Wagner takes the time and makes sure that performances are good enough to keep your interest.

The screenplay for the most part wasn’t bad. Screenwriter and Producer David Gwin did an descent job with the screenplay. One of the things that I liked about the screenplay was the fact that it had character development. He does a good job giving the whole family a backstory, as you get to know them which its important as the film goes on as it sets it up some of the situations . The other thing that I liked about it once it got near the end, there is actually some tension which was lacking in the middle part. If the action didn’t pick up near the end, then this would probably be a different review and I would have leaned more negatively towards this screenplay.

“Spirit” is a film that survives on its strong beginning and good acting.

Review Rating: Three Stars