THE SEASONING HOUSE

THE SEASONING HOUSE

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Coming to DVD from director Paul Hyett and Well Go USA Entertainment comes a thriller that needs experiencing because of THE SEASONING HOUSE.

This film tells the story of Angel (Rosie Day), a deaf mute young girl who lives with her mother in the Balkans. As war breaks out, Angel is abducted and thrown into a brothel. Run by Viktor (Kevin Howarth) who has feelings for Angel, keeps her busy tending to the other girls in the brothel.

But this is no ordinary brothel, Viktor keeps his girls drugged. Angel sees everything and not always where he can find her. Through the small crawlspace openings in the house she is able to help the girls in some small way when she is able. Befriending one of the girls named Vanya (Dominique Chalkley) starts the chain of events.

One day Commander Goran (Sean Pertwee) and his brother Josif (Alec Utgoff) come into the brother. In an instant Angel realizes these are the men responsible for putting her in this brothel keeping her prisoner.

Now it is time to set things right!

FINAL WORD: Day as Angel is absolutely stunning. Everything that is done on screen by this actress is done without words. Her performance is so intense and heartbreaking thinking she had surrendered to her fate. Never judge an Angel by her dirty wings! Even the scenes where she is making noise it takes a moment where the viewer has to realize, ‘oh wait, she doesn’t know she’s making noise!’.

Yes, I was yelling at the screen several times trying to warn her and I absolutely love when that happens. This young actresses gaunt look and haunting eyes are enough to draw us into the performance. Absolutely well done!

Howarth as Viktor – well, what can I say that is nice which is actually the point! Trying to find something nice about this character without personally wanting to kick his scummy ass makes writing about it difficult. Like Day’s character there is a glimmer of wanting to believe Viktor has a good streak in him.

Watching Pertwee as Goran was a jaw dropper. Watching his performances since the early 90’s I would never have thought to see him in this kind of role, which again, is the point. Without giving anything away which is so hard to do writing about this film, there is a scene where I get so uncomfortable I literally got sweaty. Watch for yourself and you’ll know EXACTLY which scene it is and then we will talk!

Chalkley as Vanya is such a sad character, I mean that seriously. It was difficult to watch what happens to her so I’m giving tons of amazing credit to Chalkley. Utgoff as Josif is a young man clearly manipulated by his older brother.

Other cast include: Ann Walton as Violeta, Jemma Powell as Alexa, David Lemberg as Dimitri, Ryan Oliva as Ivan, Laurence Saunders as Stevan, Daniel Vivian as Radovan, Abigail Hamilton as Marisa, Tommie Grabiec as Ratko, Adrian Bouchet as Branko, and James Bartlett as Marko.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give THE SEASONING HOUSE four tubs of popcorn out of five. In case your really wondering let me tell you why – suspense, unexpected twists, acting that wows and a story that is just jaw dropping. Selling itself as a ‘ferocious revenge thriller’ is putting it mildly.

This is film that will, up to the very end, take every ounce of emotion out of the viewer. It is a raw experience that is given even more depth by the cinematography and outstanding music.

The DVD bluray contains the bonus material of the “Making of” featurette that you must watch to get a deeper look inside the film. Coming in at 89 minutes it is a revenge thriller that dark and stunning. The film has won the Critics’ Choice Award at Fantasporto and well deserved.

In the end – there is a war outside but horror inside!

For more entertainment news and interviews go to http://moviemaven.homestead.com