Noah Taylor really shines in this movie. He was perfect for the role. There are no good guys here just bad people and worse people. Don't watch this movie unless you want to be brought down a few emotional steps.
47 Reviews
Dark would be an understatement
bhester080625 July 2022
A very slow burning white trash revenge oddity... that works.
Corpus_Vile26 October 2010
Emily (Amanda Fuller) is a drifting through life soul, who fills in the void of her existence by having sex with pretty much any guy she meets. She strikes up a hesitant platonic friendship with Nate (Noah Taylor), a psychopathic Iraq war veteran. Nate doesn't seem too pushed on laying her, and seems to prefer to regale her with left field tales of him torturing animals as a psychopathic kid.
Franki (The Lost's Marc Senter) is a rather immature musician, with dreams of making it big, all the while caring for his cancer stricken mother. A drunken encounter with Emily will set off an event which will have horrific consequences for them both. This in turn will trigger off a horrible, brutal and uncompromising revenge...
Unfortunately, I can't reveal anything else about this film without spoiling things, as it takes time to get to its revelation. Red White And Blue is a very slow burning character study piece, which makes its third act all the more shocking. This is NOT an exploitation flick, and any fans of exploitation revenge films should very much bear this in mind, as the film takes over an hour to setup the circumstances for its revenge payoff. However, it's a damn good film in its own right, with excellent performances all around, and an unusual outlook on its characters.
Emily for example is at least partly at fault for the consequences which effect her, and Franki is no typical screen villain here, but is rather a likable everyman. Nate, while clearly a psychopath is however in no way proactively aggressive, and basically nobody concerned fills in the required role one would expect for revenge films. Basically, it's an art-house film as far as I'm concerned, but it works.
The film itself looks great, with the first slow burning half consisting of bus stops, blue collar lunch areas and seedy looking dodgy bars, and it has a nicely gritty warts n all white trash vibe to it.
Again, fans of exploitation or shallow revenge films, take note, as this will not be what you're expecting, particularly from its misleading youtube trailer, but my advice is to stick it through, as it's a great revenge film, and a great film in its own right, that manages to shock in its third act via its sheer uncompromising nature
7/10. Won't be to everyone's tastes but I personally quite liked it, and anyone who liked Shane Meadows Dead Man's Shoes should find much to like here.
Franki (The Lost's Marc Senter) is a rather immature musician, with dreams of making it big, all the while caring for his cancer stricken mother. A drunken encounter with Emily will set off an event which will have horrific consequences for them both. This in turn will trigger off a horrible, brutal and uncompromising revenge...
Unfortunately, I can't reveal anything else about this film without spoiling things, as it takes time to get to its revelation. Red White And Blue is a very slow burning character study piece, which makes its third act all the more shocking. This is NOT an exploitation flick, and any fans of exploitation revenge films should very much bear this in mind, as the film takes over an hour to setup the circumstances for its revenge payoff. However, it's a damn good film in its own right, with excellent performances all around, and an unusual outlook on its characters.
Emily for example is at least partly at fault for the consequences which effect her, and Franki is no typical screen villain here, but is rather a likable everyman. Nate, while clearly a psychopath is however in no way proactively aggressive, and basically nobody concerned fills in the required role one would expect for revenge films. Basically, it's an art-house film as far as I'm concerned, but it works.
The film itself looks great, with the first slow burning half consisting of bus stops, blue collar lunch areas and seedy looking dodgy bars, and it has a nicely gritty warts n all white trash vibe to it.
Again, fans of exploitation or shallow revenge films, take note, as this will not be what you're expecting, particularly from its misleading youtube trailer, but my advice is to stick it through, as it's a great revenge film, and a great film in its own right, that manages to shock in its third act via its sheer uncompromising nature
7/10. Won't be to everyone's tastes but I personally quite liked it, and anyone who liked Shane Meadows Dead Man's Shoes should find much to like here.
a slow builder with a disturbing ending
trashgang13 November 2012
Little Deaths was my cup of tea. I liked it and noticed the part called Bitch directed by Simon Rumley, the director behind Red White and Blue. From shot one you know what kind of flick this turns out. An uneasy film with disturbing moments coming from all sides.
We start to know Erica, a girl who f*cks around, she just doesn't care who it is but be advised, she only do it ones , no questions, no love. And the first minutes you see Erica (Amanda Fuller) having sex all the time. Old people, 3 in one time, it just doesn't care. But she comes across an ex-Iraq veteran called Nate (Noah Taylor) who has an interest in her. But he's the only one she doesn't want to have sex with. Slowly we start to know both and some guys Erica had sex with. From there on you can't see what is coming and it moves slowly in some kind of arty way. But it is the excellent performances that kept you attracted to the screen. Just when you think were is this going things go wrong with one guy she had sex with. HIV enters in his life. Bad thing, and this flick turns into a disturbed part.
Clearly not for everybody. It do have some sickening parts. But the way it was shot and the use of piano as score gives it that arty feeling. i should classify it under a revenge flick but not with a horror overtone.
Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 2,5/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3,5/5 Comedy 0/5
We start to know Erica, a girl who f*cks around, she just doesn't care who it is but be advised, she only do it ones , no questions, no love. And the first minutes you see Erica (Amanda Fuller) having sex all the time. Old people, 3 in one time, it just doesn't care. But she comes across an ex-Iraq veteran called Nate (Noah Taylor) who has an interest in her. But he's the only one she doesn't want to have sex with. Slowly we start to know both and some guys Erica had sex with. From there on you can't see what is coming and it moves slowly in some kind of arty way. But it is the excellent performances that kept you attracted to the screen. Just when you think were is this going things go wrong with one guy she had sex with. HIV enters in his life. Bad thing, and this flick turns into a disturbed part.
Clearly not for everybody. It do have some sickening parts. But the way it was shot and the use of piano as score gives it that arty feeling. i should classify it under a revenge flick but not with a horror overtone.
Gore 1,5/5 Nudity 2,5/5 Effects 2/5 Story 3,5/5 Comedy 0/5
Lone star vengeance
Cujo1085 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Incredibly dark indie deals with Erica, an emotionally empty young woman who has unprotected sex with anyone she can, including a four-way with a garage band and it's lead player, Franki. Enter Nate, an oddball stranger who helps her find work when she's about to be kicked out of her apartment. The two form an unlikely bond. Meanwhile, Franki is caring for his cancer-stricken mother. After he gives some blood to help her, he's soon informed that he has HIV. Horrified not only for himself but for what he's given his mother, he and his bandmates set out to find Erica. Bad choices are made and revenge is brutally dished out.
Simon Rumley's film is one of the bleakest I've seen in a while. Austin is the backdrop as we watch damaged characters making choices that lead to their undoing. It's hard to say who's to root for here, and a revelation regarding Erica midway through adds a whole new layer to the proceedings. I respected that Rumley left in numerous ambiguities throughout, as it made for a more intriguing structure.
The acting is strong across the board with Noah Taylor, Amanda Fuller and Marc Senter all vying for the title of most disturbed. Senter, who played memorable nutjobs in "The Lost" and "Cabin Fever 2", actually gets outdone this time around. There's also a memorable scene of a family being held hostage.
Simon Rumley's film is one of the bleakest I've seen in a while. Austin is the backdrop as we watch damaged characters making choices that lead to their undoing. It's hard to say who's to root for here, and a revelation regarding Erica midway through adds a whole new layer to the proceedings. I respected that Rumley left in numerous ambiguities throughout, as it made for a more intriguing structure.
The acting is strong across the board with Noah Taylor, Amanda Fuller and Marc Senter all vying for the title of most disturbed. Senter, who played memorable nutjobs in "The Lost" and "Cabin Fever 2", actually gets outdone this time around. There's also a memorable scene of a family being held hostage.
A surprisingly affecting revenge thriller. Tough to watch but there's a touch of class to this film..
chaaa27 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Independent U.S. thriller Red White and Blue is a fascinating specimen indeed. As delicate in its portrayal of love as it is explicit in its portrayal of violence, the film begins as a strangely voyeuristic exploitation film, playing like a series of vignettes and ends as an intensely non-judgmental exploration of moral boundaries. Unique and certain to plague your thoughts for a long time after it ends, this is a thoroughly original, though not entirely successful piece of work from director Simon Rumley.
Erica is a dark, damaged young woman who enjoys picking up men in seedy bars, but never sleeps with the same one twice. She keeps to herself, doesn't "do friendship" and is generally a closed book. Nate is an army vet, with links to the CIA who has a history of animal torture and lives in Erica's building. He is as damaged as Erica but with a slightly more vulnerable air. Erica is interested in this mysterious stranger but doesn't want to sleep with him. It must be love. Meanwhile Franki, a rock musician who indulged in an orgy with his bandmates and Erica has received some shocking news that sets up the final, gruesome act.
It's unfair to categorise this as a horror film as there is nothing here designed to scare the audience. It is not a film that keeps you in suspense either. Red White and Blue is very much a human drama, despite it's showy display of violence towards the end. The central couple, Erica and Nate, are two tragic characters and their slow bonding and eventual coming together is the stuff of indie drama, not horror, but there is a looming sense of tragedy as we see flashes of a seriously dark side to Nate, an otherwise extremely likable character. In fact, he is so likable that this makes the final half hour even more difficult to watch since you can't help but feel his pain and you may enter some very murky moral ground.
The film is structured in such a way that the focus shifts between characters. We start off with Erica who is played by a perfectly cast Amanda Fuller. Her performance is brave, subtle and so interesting that she goes from unlikeable to desperately sad and vulnerable as the film goes on. The second character we explore is Franki and a huge problem for me watching the film is that I couldn't bring myself to like this character no matter how hard I tried. As with the other characters, he has his dark side and his light side but I just couldn't stand him. Maybe it's my dislike for soul-searching hipster types but not being able to sympathise with him really dampened my enjoyment of the film, particularly as events begin to unfold. If this character had worked better I think the plot as a whole would have felt more effective. By far the best thing about the film is the great Noah Taylor, digging right down into the pits of darkness for this role and giving us a side of him we haven't seen before. A genuinely scary, monstrous romantic lead. The blend of innocence, sweetness and pure psychotic rage ensures that the audiences head is spinning by the end of the film. The final shot of the film is somewhat heartbreaking and in a nice little play on time perception, we get a rather poignant little twist in the tale that reminds us exactly what the film is really about. Two damaged people who, for a fleeting second, found love.
With nothing to go on but the fact that Noah Taylor was in it (pretty safe bet) and a pretty frightening trailer I gave this film a chance and I'm glad I did. While the film definitely has its problems, I was pleasantly surprised to find that beneath its gruesome surface it is a film with a big heart and, in an unconventional way, wears it on its sleeve. The film will not be to everyone's taste but it has a certain resonance that is all too rare in genre films.
Erica is a dark, damaged young woman who enjoys picking up men in seedy bars, but never sleeps with the same one twice. She keeps to herself, doesn't "do friendship" and is generally a closed book. Nate is an army vet, with links to the CIA who has a history of animal torture and lives in Erica's building. He is as damaged as Erica but with a slightly more vulnerable air. Erica is interested in this mysterious stranger but doesn't want to sleep with him. It must be love. Meanwhile Franki, a rock musician who indulged in an orgy with his bandmates and Erica has received some shocking news that sets up the final, gruesome act.
It's unfair to categorise this as a horror film as there is nothing here designed to scare the audience. It is not a film that keeps you in suspense either. Red White and Blue is very much a human drama, despite it's showy display of violence towards the end. The central couple, Erica and Nate, are two tragic characters and their slow bonding and eventual coming together is the stuff of indie drama, not horror, but there is a looming sense of tragedy as we see flashes of a seriously dark side to Nate, an otherwise extremely likable character. In fact, he is so likable that this makes the final half hour even more difficult to watch since you can't help but feel his pain and you may enter some very murky moral ground.
The film is structured in such a way that the focus shifts between characters. We start off with Erica who is played by a perfectly cast Amanda Fuller. Her performance is brave, subtle and so interesting that she goes from unlikeable to desperately sad and vulnerable as the film goes on. The second character we explore is Franki and a huge problem for me watching the film is that I couldn't bring myself to like this character no matter how hard I tried. As with the other characters, he has his dark side and his light side but I just couldn't stand him. Maybe it's my dislike for soul-searching hipster types but not being able to sympathise with him really dampened my enjoyment of the film, particularly as events begin to unfold. If this character had worked better I think the plot as a whole would have felt more effective. By far the best thing about the film is the great Noah Taylor, digging right down into the pits of darkness for this role and giving us a side of him we haven't seen before. A genuinely scary, monstrous romantic lead. The blend of innocence, sweetness and pure psychotic rage ensures that the audiences head is spinning by the end of the film. The final shot of the film is somewhat heartbreaking and in a nice little play on time perception, we get a rather poignant little twist in the tale that reminds us exactly what the film is really about. Two damaged people who, for a fleeting second, found love.
With nothing to go on but the fact that Noah Taylor was in it (pretty safe bet) and a pretty frightening trailer I gave this film a chance and I'm glad I did. While the film definitely has its problems, I was pleasantly surprised to find that beneath its gruesome surface it is a film with a big heart and, in an unconventional way, wears it on its sleeve. The film will not be to everyone's taste but it has a certain resonance that is all too rare in genre films.
Real and Reel
LuvSopr10 March 2012
This movie seems to be two halves. Amanda Fuller's Erica makes her way through the slow grind of life with anonymous sexual encounters (her choice) and a long series of jobs and addresses. She meets Noah Taylor's Nate, and begins to thaw.
This was probably my first disagreement with the film...I wasn't sure if I believed she would become close to him. Nate is a construct, a theme from the director, but rarely a flesh and blood creation I could relate to.
The rest of the film relates to Marc Senter's Franki, stuck in a job he doesn't care about, always chasing rainbows with a girlfriend who looks elsewhere, and a dated band waiting for superstardom. He takes care of his mother, a sweet and slightly defeated woman who is probably the most achingly realistic character in the film. I truly cared about these people. The happiness they feel when their lives seem to be turning around is the film's emotional and creative high point.
Amanda Fuller and Marc Senter have some strong scenes but the movie steadily fades, with the last section mostly being about an entry into shock value, more than what suited the characters or plots.
I'd love to have seen another version of this movie, without Nate.
This was probably my first disagreement with the film...I wasn't sure if I believed she would become close to him. Nate is a construct, a theme from the director, but rarely a flesh and blood creation I could relate to.
The rest of the film relates to Marc Senter's Franki, stuck in a job he doesn't care about, always chasing rainbows with a girlfriend who looks elsewhere, and a dated band waiting for superstardom. He takes care of his mother, a sweet and slightly defeated woman who is probably the most achingly realistic character in the film. I truly cared about these people. The happiness they feel when their lives seem to be turning around is the film's emotional and creative high point.
Amanda Fuller and Marc Senter have some strong scenes but the movie steadily fades, with the last section mostly being about an entry into shock value, more than what suited the characters or plots.
I'd love to have seen another version of this movie, without Nate.
Seeing Red.
stevenrobertson-9789916 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I didn't like this film. I am not saying it wasn't good. I thought it was watchable and interesting. It wasn't boring that's for sure. But it was very dark. Very depressing. Very miserable. It's everything in life that you don't want to see. That's why I didn't like it. The sex and the violence is very graphic. The plonky piano music can be annoying in places too. But if you want to see a film about messed up people struggling along in life, not getting themselves together, spreading nasty sexually transmitted diseases and paying the ultimate price this is for you.
They don't get a lot worse than this
alan-lohf15 November 2012
The horror genre seems to generate far more than its fair share of absolute duds - and this is definitely one of them. The opening scenes, which would do a 1970's soft core porn flick proud, set the (very low) tone for this film. The filming also put me in a nostalgic frame of mind - it is reminiscent of a 1960's home movie. The plot is wafer thin and not worth wasting either my time writing about it, or your time reading same. The cast? Noah Taylor is suitably psychopathic, although he seems a little weedy for an Iraq war vet - perhaps he was a computer geek in intelligence. And what luck, he works in a DIY store - that would explain the seemingly inexhaustible supply of duct tape! The balance of the cast would appear to have very promising careers - flipping burgers in some fly-blown truck stop on route whatever just outside Nowhereville, USA. This little disaster was written, produced and directed by Simon Rumley - a combination of roles that challenges even the genuinely talented. Filled with dread, I checked the list of credits for Mr Rumley - I am very pleased to say it is mercifully short. Long may it remain so.
American Nightmare
kosmasp26 December 2010
If you turn away from the movie after the very hard and maybe even too explicit (though it really isn't, but it feels like it is) beginning, you will miss out on the why. You won't be able to see where the director wanted to take this. And it would be a shame. This is as "down and dirty" as a movie can go. From cinematography, acting and story/character (development).
It might not be your cup of tea of course (nothing glossy to be found here), but if you let yourself into the story and the characters (with all their flaws, of whom they have many), then you will be rewarded with a very weird and angry story. It won't pull any punches either (whether you like that or not) and stays true to it's grittiness throughout. One of the better movies I watched in 2010 (and I watched quite a few)
It might not be your cup of tea of course (nothing glossy to be found here), but if you let yourself into the story and the characters (with all their flaws, of whom they have many), then you will be rewarded with a very weird and angry story. It won't pull any punches either (whether you like that or not) and stays true to it's grittiness throughout. One of the better movies I watched in 2010 (and I watched quite a few)
Very Blue
sarahmillyhannah10 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Slow burning leading up to the point of the film follows a girl named Erica who spends her time never forming lasting relationships but sleeping around and living an existence. She meets a guy called Nate who has a true bonding with her and its not the sexual kind and he spends his time trying to form a relationship with her and look after her. Unfortunately for her a previous conquest comes back to bite her in the ass with terrible consequences for all those concerned. Gritty, grizzly and depressing movie that takes it's time to build up the whole point to the film but about half way into the movie it all clicks into place and you figure out the way it will end. Hard to watch in places but compelling and you want to know the way it will end. Not bad acting at all and to say its a low budget film it was really good. It was by no way a horror in the slasher sense of the word but really had a point to it. Like i say its a good film but it's certainly not hearts and flowers.
Starts weak and subsides into garbage
cthulhu_will_arise66621 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I can't do this without spoilers so SPOILER ALERT! you have been warned! All I knew about this movie is that it's about a revenge story. And I love revenge stories (Harry Brown, Death Sentence etc).
BUT it started as a B Movie Drama and I thought okay. Can't be that bad when Metascore is that high. I'll never listen to Meta Score again...
In the beginning you see a young girl having unprotected sex with a lot of men and she is insisting to have it unprotected. Okay, for many people this might still sound good :D Turns out the girl has AIDS and is spreading it into the world on purpose. She stated she slept with "130 or 140" men, giving the HI Virus around.
And I was just like WTF? If I was one of the boys she seduced I would kill her. And you think okay, now the boys are on revenge. This is the revenge story in this movie, right? As a viewer you now want satisfaction. Torture and kill that bitch. Okay she eventually gets killed. Even though it didn't look like it was really intended.
And everyone was crying about it and regretting it but man she ruined the life's of 140 men. Most of them won't even know they have AIDS and spreading this horrible disease into the world. This girl had to die!!! But what happens then? The neighbor to which she was a totally a-hole avenges her and kills the boys she was with including their whole family. Even little kids. WTF Dude??? Why is this making any sense? Why are people liking this sh*tty plot? Why did this movie get such high ratings? Why is this girl that intentionally gives aids to the world the good guy in this movie? WTF Simon Rumley? What were you thinking?
BUT it started as a B Movie Drama and I thought okay. Can't be that bad when Metascore is that high. I'll never listen to Meta Score again...
In the beginning you see a young girl having unprotected sex with a lot of men and she is insisting to have it unprotected. Okay, for many people this might still sound good :D Turns out the girl has AIDS and is spreading it into the world on purpose. She stated she slept with "130 or 140" men, giving the HI Virus around.
And I was just like WTF? If I was one of the boys she seduced I would kill her. And you think okay, now the boys are on revenge. This is the revenge story in this movie, right? As a viewer you now want satisfaction. Torture and kill that bitch. Okay she eventually gets killed. Even though it didn't look like it was really intended.
And everyone was crying about it and regretting it but man she ruined the life's of 140 men. Most of them won't even know they have AIDS and spreading this horrible disease into the world. This girl had to die!!! But what happens then? The neighbor to which she was a totally a-hole avenges her and kills the boys she was with including their whole family. Even little kids. WTF Dude??? Why is this making any sense? Why are people liking this sh*tty plot? Why did this movie get such high ratings? Why is this girl that intentionally gives aids to the world the good guy in this movie? WTF Simon Rumley? What were you thinking?
Disturbing and absorbing movie
scoup7 April 2012
Red White and Blue is not for everyone. This movie with grab your emotions right from the beginning (good or bad) and keep building upwards.
There is no clear antagonist or protagonist; I'm sure we could label some, but it detracts from the complex interactions and subtext. This movie has layers and it will stick with you for several days. I repeat - this movie stays with you and reaches some dark places.
The acting is very good and Noah Taylor is engrossing. I can not believe this guy is not cast in more roles, seriously. Taylor gives a stellar performance of the performance you almost wished you had never seen.
I recommend highly.
There is no clear antagonist or protagonist; I'm sure we could label some, but it detracts from the complex interactions and subtext. This movie has layers and it will stick with you for several days. I repeat - this movie stays with you and reaches some dark places.
The acting is very good and Noah Taylor is engrossing. I can not believe this guy is not cast in more roles, seriously. Taylor gives a stellar performance of the performance you almost wished you had never seen.
I recommend highly.
Good.... but not that good.
ibleedthought18 July 2011
The reason I gave this movie a 4/10 was because of it's original plot and story-line. Other than the originality of the film it was all around a pretty shitty movie. I felt that the acting was horrible, the characters were all pretty lame, and the climax was below average. I have seen many movies like this one, and most of them were better: ex. I Saw The Devil, Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance, Oldboy, just to name a few. The movie depicts a woman who whores herself out just for the satisfaction of sex, her neighbor is a creepy ex-military. They have a friendship but all of that changes when one of her past sex partners finds her to 'talk' about something important. Things escalate and get violent. I don't want to spoil the story so I'll leave it at that, and in a word of advice, I would suggest skipping this one.
Terrible, terrible movie
jenharkness16 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
This is two completely different movies. The first half is great, with compelling characters who have interesting lives and complex motivations. The acting is fantastic, especially the two leads. I actively cared about these characters.
The second half is horror movie amateur hour. Everything about the movie changes. The characters I had started to care about turned into mindless automata, and the entire promise of the movie was gone.
It's literally like the director handed over the camera to someone else, and someone not nearly as good. The second half of the movie was unbelievably bad, but the most depressing was that the first half had set things up to be such a great movie, and then it was a complete letdown.
The second half is horror movie amateur hour. Everything about the movie changes. The characters I had started to care about turned into mindless automata, and the entire promise of the movie was gone.
It's literally like the director handed over the camera to someone else, and someone not nearly as good. The second half of the movie was unbelievably bad, but the most depressing was that the first half had set things up to be such a great movie, and then it was a complete letdown.
Torture Porn
fabiogaucho17 July 2012
That's what this movie is: torture porn. True, the first two thirds of the movie are your basic indie flick about lost, tormented souls trying to find comfort on each other, or in the most desperate acts. Nothing spectacular, nothing new, but more or less well done. And completely irrelevant. Nothing of the character's dramas is left when things start rolling.
The last half an hour is obviously what the director intended to leave in our memories. And it is pure gratuitous exploitation. The viewer is just being thrown from one torture scene to another, expecting the level of violence to keep increasing(and believe me, it does). When the last confrontation between two characters is about to begin, all the viewer can think is how graphic and sickening it is going to be: no emotional tension is expected, and none is given. The fact that the violent third act takes much less time than the drama doesn't change the fact that it is the violent stuff that Red White and Blue is about.
It is obviously not a case of a movie becoming something else in the end. What happens is precisely the opposite: the long set-up is just an excuse for sickening stuff at the end. That will give the horror fans a chance to say they enjoyed a film with character development, and that they are not just fans of the gross stuff, etc. Pure BS. This is as much an exploitation film as I Spit in Your Grave, Cannibal Holocaust, Last House on the Left and the like. Yes, I am degrading this movie from its artsy pretensions to the genre it really belongs. You make enjoy this if you are a horror fan, but don't fool yourself.
The last half an hour is obviously what the director intended to leave in our memories. And it is pure gratuitous exploitation. The viewer is just being thrown from one torture scene to another, expecting the level of violence to keep increasing(and believe me, it does). When the last confrontation between two characters is about to begin, all the viewer can think is how graphic and sickening it is going to be: no emotional tension is expected, and none is given. The fact that the violent third act takes much less time than the drama doesn't change the fact that it is the violent stuff that Red White and Blue is about.
It is obviously not a case of a movie becoming something else in the end. What happens is precisely the opposite: the long set-up is just an excuse for sickening stuff at the end. That will give the horror fans a chance to say they enjoyed a film with character development, and that they are not just fans of the gross stuff, etc. Pure BS. This is as much an exploitation film as I Spit in Your Grave, Cannibal Holocaust, Last House on the Left and the like. Yes, I am degrading this movie from its artsy pretensions to the genre it really belongs. You make enjoy this if you are a horror fan, but don't fool yourself.
Saved by the final 40 minutes
armen_vartanyan11 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
heard a lot about it and finally watched it. well, you know, horror fans are the greatest, aren't they!?? nothing can stop them from getting their hands on some of the rarest items around. not a horror film, however, more of a revenge drama - this picture is almost disappointing through it's opening hour, but the very same time you start wondering "when is this thing gonna get going?", it suddenly turns into a pretty strong story, with meaningful dialogues and some bloody scenes . you have to judge it for yourself. on the downside i must complain about the poor acting by Marc Senter and a very strange choice for a background score, irritating even. all saved by phenomenal performance courtesy of Noah Taylor.
A Post War Story
pontificator31 March 2011
You may find it bewildering that I refer to it as a war story or to put it perhaps more accurately a post war story. I think this is as accurate a genre as any other as given here by member critics (I hardly ever indulge the professional critics).
It is clear that the protagonist is not suffering from PTSD or whatever the current nomenclature is, he makes that very clear from the start.
The film is divided into two but either half depends upon the other. It is a relatively deep movie but only if the viewers are capable of deep pondering themselves. There is much that is implied and much that is not said.
All in all a worthwhile movie at an almost prescient time as CIA operatives enter Libya.
It is clear that the protagonist is not suffering from PTSD or whatever the current nomenclature is, he makes that very clear from the start.
The film is divided into two but either half depends upon the other. It is a relatively deep movie but only if the viewers are capable of deep pondering themselves. There is much that is implied and much that is not said.
All in all a worthwhile movie at an almost prescient time as CIA operatives enter Libya.
Horrible horror of a horror movie
Troy_VA10 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The slow as molasses in Antarctica "Red, White and Blue" seemed like a three-hour movie but for some reason still had a lot of missing parts. None of the main characters were appealing in the least and that makes it extremely difficult to garner sympathy for such unfeeling people. Revenge is not always sweet and it's very hard to figure why Carl would go on such a murderous rampage over a girl he barely knew and who stated unequivocally that she wouldn't have sex with him. And why would he take it upon himself to murder(?) innocents like Ed's wife and child? There was way too much jumping around, unasked questions and unresolved threads to make this a must see movie. I give it a 2 for unrealized potential.
An emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end
jennifer-25-9652318 August 2011
This movie really affected me right from the beginning. I felt drawn in hanging onto every word and movement of Emily (The main female character) and Nate (The post traumatic Iraq war Veteran).
Unfortunately I can't really go into too much detail on the plot creating a rather boring review but I really wanted to let people know just how enticing and well made this movie was. This was one of the best Drama revenge movies I have ever seen. It was so realistic to me it was like watching something real. The emotions I felt towards the characters is not something I normally experience in watching a movie but the bleakness and story lines of each character was just so real to me.
I found the relationship between Emily and Nate to be especially captivating. Two outcasts who are thoroughly screwed up very slowly make this special bond that they seemed to never have in life before. You don't really know what to make of the two with his history of torture and hers of being extremely unemotional and sexually promiscuous. You're not really sure what to make of the relationship until things unfold and you realize what's really going on.
Franki, the third main character in the movie is your typical stupid kid whose dreams are to make it big with his band. He cares for and loves his cancer stricken Mother very much. When he has an encounter with Emily it causes his whole world to spin out of control and loses his sanity.
If you miss this movie you are missing out on a good one. I went in thinking it would be a gore feast but it wasn't, it was actually very tame on the gore. Instead I went through an emotional roller-coaster that lasted from beginning to end. This movie is a must see.
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Unfortunately I can't really go into too much detail on the plot creating a rather boring review but I really wanted to let people know just how enticing and well made this movie was. This was one of the best Drama revenge movies I have ever seen. It was so realistic to me it was like watching something real. The emotions I felt towards the characters is not something I normally experience in watching a movie but the bleakness and story lines of each character was just so real to me.
I found the relationship between Emily and Nate to be especially captivating. Two outcasts who are thoroughly screwed up very slowly make this special bond that they seemed to never have in life before. You don't really know what to make of the two with his history of torture and hers of being extremely unemotional and sexually promiscuous. You're not really sure what to make of the relationship until things unfold and you realize what's really going on.
Franki, the third main character in the movie is your typical stupid kid whose dreams are to make it big with his band. He cares for and loves his cancer stricken Mother very much. When he has an encounter with Emily it causes his whole world to spin out of control and loses his sanity.
If you miss this movie you are missing out on a good one. I went in thinking it would be a gore feast but it wasn't, it was actually very tame on the gore. Instead I went through an emotional roller-coaster that lasted from beginning to end. This movie is a must see.
Zombiesteak.com - Discover a new world of horror films, designed just for you.
Finish a scene just once, for crying out loud!
Coventry16 December 2022
There are many things I don't like, being a skeptical horror/cult fanatic, but only a few things I absolutely cannot stand. One of the things I truly hate is reading and hearing everywhere (on internet forums, in festival reports, in specialized horror magazines, ...) that a certain film is extremely shocking and violent, only to then conclude this totally isn't the case!
Judging by the number of praising quotes on the DVD-cover, "Red, White & Blue" supposedly is a raw and uncompromising revenge exploitation/thriller, but it is one of the dullest, whiniest, and most frustratingly uneventful films I ever had to struggle through. To make it even worse, if that's even possible, it's also an incredibly pretentious flick. You can almost hear writer/director Simon Rumley think: "My movie is so much better than the others..."
"Red, White & Blue" exists of fake situations, utterly implausible characters, and suspense that continuously gets undercut by lousy editing and a cowardly narrative structure. There's a girl who has sex with literally every man who crosses her path, but the one man she refuses to sleep with - a weirdo Iraq veteran - platonically loves her so much that he goes on a killing rampage for her. Well, we can only assume he goes on a rampage, because this boring movie shows practically nothing. Whenever a potentially interesting event might happen, the scene abruptly ends or switches to something irrelevant. I found myself swearing at the screen numerous of times, and when finally some violence was shown explicitly, I couldn't care less anymore.
Judging by the number of praising quotes on the DVD-cover, "Red, White & Blue" supposedly is a raw and uncompromising revenge exploitation/thriller, but it is one of the dullest, whiniest, and most frustratingly uneventful films I ever had to struggle through. To make it even worse, if that's even possible, it's also an incredibly pretentious flick. You can almost hear writer/director Simon Rumley think: "My movie is so much better than the others..."
"Red, White & Blue" exists of fake situations, utterly implausible characters, and suspense that continuously gets undercut by lousy editing and a cowardly narrative structure. There's a girl who has sex with literally every man who crosses her path, but the one man she refuses to sleep with - a weirdo Iraq veteran - platonically loves her so much that he goes on a killing rampage for her. Well, we can only assume he goes on a rampage, because this boring movie shows practically nothing. Whenever a potentially interesting event might happen, the scene abruptly ends or switches to something irrelevant. I found myself swearing at the screen numerous of times, and when finally some violence was shown explicitly, I couldn't care less anymore.
From drama to sinister to disturbing
mungflesh14 November 2011
This film reminded me mostly of Audition and how the mood changes from drama to sinister to disturbing.
The film follows the sexual goings-on of a young girl named Erica, who we believe to be troubled in some way or another. She has a friend, Nate, in whom she can confide and who appears to be genuinely concerned for her. A side-plot, about a semi-successful garage-band, runs in parallel from the point they all get in the sack with Erica, on a drunken band team-building exercise. These two plot lines come slamming back together in a big way, just after the middle of the movie.
Once this film gets going, it really grabs hold of you and doesn't let go, until after the gut-wrenching climax. The build-up is slow paced but justifiably so, as it needs to bring true depth to the characters, otherwise the latter half of the story wouldn't work.
Unlike movies where the good and bad guys are clear cut, this one really blurs the edges, so that we're never quite sure who's in the right and who's not. I'm saying this is a good thing for this movie, because it really makes the viewer question the morality in each scene and find it harder to predict where the movie us is ultimately heading.
There's little I would criticise. What it does, it does very well - all credit to the director and cast.
I wouldn't categorise this as a horror (unless we count Franki's earrings), it's more of an intense drama/thriller but Red White and Blue is one of the best films I have seen this year and would recommend it to anyone who has the stomach for this sort of thing.
The film follows the sexual goings-on of a young girl named Erica, who we believe to be troubled in some way or another. She has a friend, Nate, in whom she can confide and who appears to be genuinely concerned for her. A side-plot, about a semi-successful garage-band, runs in parallel from the point they all get in the sack with Erica, on a drunken band team-building exercise. These two plot lines come slamming back together in a big way, just after the middle of the movie.
Once this film gets going, it really grabs hold of you and doesn't let go, until after the gut-wrenching climax. The build-up is slow paced but justifiably so, as it needs to bring true depth to the characters, otherwise the latter half of the story wouldn't work.
Unlike movies where the good and bad guys are clear cut, this one really blurs the edges, so that we're never quite sure who's in the right and who's not. I'm saying this is a good thing for this movie, because it really makes the viewer question the morality in each scene and find it harder to predict where the movie us is ultimately heading.
There's little I would criticise. What it does, it does very well - all credit to the director and cast.
I wouldn't categorise this as a horror (unless we count Franki's earrings), it's more of an intense drama/thriller but Red White and Blue is one of the best films I have seen this year and would recommend it to anyone who has the stomach for this sort of thing.
Disturbing but lacking
cmoyton30 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
There is a lot to admire in this low budget revenge drama. The story unfolds in three segments from which the strands and characters come together for the final bloody third. I have to say despite attempts to evoke sympathy for the characters predicaments i found all of them extremely unsavoury and unlikeable. The film is shot with the look and feel of independent cinema and the sombre piano score is used to good effect for the disturbing scenes at the end.
Its clear form the off that Nate is a very disturbed individual. Claiming to be an honourably discharged veteran who tortured animals as a child he forms an unlikely friendship with a seemingly cold hearted emotionally scarred nymphomaniac called Erica. As the movie progresses we discover that Erica has HIV and is on a mission to infect as many men as possible. Of course there is a childhood rape back story to explain her dysfunctionality.
The final third of the movie is taken up by Nate searching for Erica's kidnappers (a young rock group who had communal sex with her),one of whom has become infected. Cue revenge, psychological torture and gore as the movie descends into an indie splatter fest. The version i saw was 100 minutes long and i suspect some of the gore had been cut, yet the final murder was still extremely graphic. And so it pans out that Nate may have been telling the truth - those pesky Gulf War veterans all unhinged with nowhere to go.
Its clear form the off that Nate is a very disturbed individual. Claiming to be an honourably discharged veteran who tortured animals as a child he forms an unlikely friendship with a seemingly cold hearted emotionally scarred nymphomaniac called Erica. As the movie progresses we discover that Erica has HIV and is on a mission to infect as many men as possible. Of course there is a childhood rape back story to explain her dysfunctionality.
The final third of the movie is taken up by Nate searching for Erica's kidnappers (a young rock group who had communal sex with her),one of whom has become infected. Cue revenge, psychological torture and gore as the movie descends into an indie splatter fest. The version i saw was 100 minutes long and i suspect some of the gore had been cut, yet the final murder was still extremely graphic. And so it pans out that Nate may have been telling the truth - those pesky Gulf War veterans all unhinged with nowhere to go.
Anyone Squeamish?
mtsinara4 October 2021
One of the most horrific films I've seen in a long time. It's a gruesome, chilling tale. If you're squeamish, I wouldn't recommend it. The first half can become tiresome with unlikable characters. Then, everything reconnects with unexpected brutality. Rating this film was difficult; so I opted for an average of 3 stars.
Brutal and compelling revenge drama
Andy-29614 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
One of the best revenge dramas I have ever seen. Brutal and compelling and shot in the seedier parts of Austin, Texas by British director Simon Rumley on a very low budget, it's enhanced by the very fine cast (which includes some respected though not very famous actors, including Noah Taylor playing niftily against character). The movie is about essentially a love (or perhaps death) triangle: Nate, an Iraq war veteran in his thirties who looks edgy and might be somewhat disturbed and Franki, a drummer in an upcoming garage band are the men whose life is intersected through Erica, an attractive girl whose life is a mess working at odd jobs as well as the occasional gig as a prostitute. A sexually transmitted disease will unleash a terrible mayhem of death and revenge. I don't want to add more about the plot, but the results can be brutal in the extreme, even if the climactic act of violence is shot off camera. Starts somewhat slow, and it takes its time to develop its plot, but the third and final act will leave everyone speechless.
Red, white, and boooooooo
davebuttomer1 January 2023
Totally perplexed with the high rating on this one. Figures that I didn't spend enough time going thru all of the reviews, and just assumed this movie would be great, based upon 10 stars, and a 6.5 overall rating. I trust the masses too much on IMDB perhaps? Anyhoo.....
The acting in this movie is pretty poor, and the pace of said movie is also on track to make you hit the pause button more then once. If you do, you may want to just turn it off. I also agree with other reviews about scenes ending too abruptly... the movie should have ended sooner honestly. And don't get me started on the horrible musical band portrayal, or the never ending supply of duct tape that mysteriously appears. Thanks Home Depot!
If you have gotten to the end of this review, watch something else.
The acting in this movie is pretty poor, and the pace of said movie is also on track to make you hit the pause button more then once. If you do, you may want to just turn it off. I also agree with other reviews about scenes ending too abruptly... the movie should have ended sooner honestly. And don't get me started on the horrible musical band portrayal, or the never ending supply of duct tape that mysteriously appears. Thanks Home Depot!
If you have gotten to the end of this review, watch something else.
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