by Jorge Castillo
In horror, there’s a rich history of off-the-main-road communities luring tourists to their doom. From The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to Midsommar, it’s one of the richest subgenres as it allows for social commentary tailored to any period in time.
Rage feels like a bargain-bin version of both but doesn’t come close to either. It’s not entirely incompetent, but some glaring issues cloud everything else. Chief among them the absence of character development. Why would we follow people who’re not only unlikeable but also uninteresting?
The film follows six of the most insufferable Gen-Z archetypes as they spend a weekend of leisure (sex, drugs, and Instagram) in a coastal town in South Africa. Their level of condescension towards the locals is only matched by their sense of entitlement.
Unbeknownst to the group, they’ve been targeted by the townies’ need for fresh meat for a ritual-slash-drug enterprise. The fact they’re insufferable, and no one will miss them is a bonus.
Describing the would-be victims is rather pointless – think Friday the 13th teens; they’re just cannon fodder. The main villain is slightly more interesting: a handyman who longs to belong but doesn’t have any qualms about doing the dirty work. Think This Is Spinal Tap, but literally.
More by accident than by design, the order of the killings is a bit of a surprise, mostly because the actors are by large unknowns, and no one jumps off the screen. The seldom seen before setting —Plettenberg Bay— has an otherworldly quality that adds to the unease.
Director Jaco Bouwer (Gaia) shows some restraint in showing violence, so when it takes place, it registers. If only it happened to characters that we gave a hoot about.
Rage is available on digital now.
