THE SEASONING HOUSE
War autside. Horror inside. The Seasoning House – where young girls are prostituted to the military. Angel (Rosie Day), an orphaned deaf mute, is enslaved to care for them. She moves between the walls and crawlspaces, planning her escape. Planning her ingenious and brutal revenge.
Director: Paul Hyett
Writers: Paul Hyett, Conal Palmer, Adrian Rigelsford
Stars: Rosie Day, Sean Pertwee, Kevin Howarth
Rating: 10 / 10 Stars
REVIEW – This film is set against the backdrop of war-torn Balkans, and plays like three different films. The first thirty minutes sets up the story and characters, we watch as Viktor abducts these 5 girls, and tells them that they have to trust him. He befriends a little mute girl he names Angel. Viktor seems to see something in her and in his mind a relationship is blossoming. He teaches Angel how to look after the house and fix up the girls for the soldiers. The tasks include drugging the girls up and then when they pass out putting make up on them and making them look seductive. The second half of the story is when the film starts to really become a different monster, and that is what sets up for the third act. The second act is basically a friendship between Angel and one of the girls who knows sign language. Angel sneaks the girl candy and they share stories, all the whole while Angel goes thru the wall vents sneaking around to see her. When one of the soldiers gets rough with Angel’s friend is when the third act kicks in and that is when Angel avenges her friend and turns the house upside down with a lot of bloodshed and violence.
The Seasoning House is not a fun and exciting film, this is a dark and depressing and a very amazing cruel film. The cast in this film was incredible, especially Rosie Day who played Angel. She was stripped of the ability to use words to express herself, so most of her dialogue is body language and expressions. To see her facial reactions to the things that happen around her, will pull your heart strings and manipulate your feelings. This film is very violent, very bloody and if films like Martyrs, and the Bunny Game offended you for its treatment of women, this film will offend you as well.
Viktor is played by Kevin Howarth who most of us will remember from the underrated Last Horror Movie a few years back, and again he gives you something to really brag about. His portrayal rivals Rosie, they seem to create such a tension in their scenes together that you are not sure what can happen, but you cannot seem to turn away and have to see what can happen next. When, Goran who leads the Militia comes into the picture and strips Viktor of his power because of the death of one of his men, is when the film really goes beyond what I thought this film could or would deliver. The final scene I know a lot of people will not like it, and feel like it was not a great pay off, but I did not mind it so much.
This film packs quite the punch, from start to finish this film is amazing. I feel it is the best film of 2012 without question. This film seems to be following the trail that Martyrs and Inside left behind a few years ago. This is the next chapter of films that this genre needs. This film was original, creative and I would love to see more from all involved. This is the film to beat in 2012.
THE SEASONING HOUSE | Official Trailer: