DVD Review: BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

Label: Magnet Releasing
Region Code: 1 NTSC

Duration: 110 Minutes 

Video: Anamorphic Widescreen (2.40:1) 
Audio: Hebrew 5.1 Dolby Digital with Optional English SDH Subtitles
Directors: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado
Cast: Lior Ashkenazi, Rotem Keinan, Tzahi Grad, Dov Glickman, Menashe Noy, Rami, Dvir Bebedek

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013) comes by way of the demented duo of writer/directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado who first popped up on TV with the film RABIES (2010), a nasty slice of cult cinema shaded with a streak of dark humor that's fully intact with their newest endeavor.

This ones a kidnapping thriller that touches on some pretty dark subject matter - a small city is plagues by a child killer who abducts, rapes and decapitates young school girls. The victims bodies are staged minus their heads with their toenails removed, the unthinkable crimes are the stuff of stomach churning nightmares. The prime suspect is a quiet religious studies teacher named Dror (Rotem Keinan) but there's very little evidence against him other than suspicion a desperate Det. Mickey (Lior Ashkenazi) who attempts to beat a confession from the teacher. The incident is captured on video and posted on YouTube and in the aftermath Mickey is suspended from the police department while Dror loses his teaching job when parents protest the employment of a suspected child murderer. 

Enter Gidi (Tzahi Grad) the father of the murderers most recent victims, a young girl found mutilated at the park. When the identity of the teacher is revealed through the YouTube video the vengeful father plots to abduct and torture the suspected murderer until he confesses to the horrific crime. However, the vigilante detective has similar plans and the two uncomfortably join forces, kidnapping the Dror and strapping him to a chair in a basement where they begin to administer a series of gruesome tortures in an effort to squeeze a confession from the teacher. 

They really put the thumb screws to poor Dror, the torture sequences had me squirming - this is some uncomfortable stuff. These sequences are unsettling but are punctuated by some dark humor. One minute were witnessing a gruesome nail-through-the-knee when suddenly we're baking a cake in the kitchen. At one point the young girl's grandfather unexpectedly shows up and at first tries to dissuade his son from carrying out his revenge before taking part in the proceedings with a certain glee. While the scent of Dror's burning wafts through the air h comments that the odor makes him crave the taste of beef. Yup, this comic kidnapping thriller definitely has some very quirky moments of humor peppered throughout, sorta a mash-up of Kim Jee-Woon's I SAW THE DEVIL (2010) by way of the Coen Bros. FARGO (1996), 

The DVD from Magnet Releasing presents the film in it's original scope aspect ratio  with strong color reproduction, accurate skin tones and strong black levels. The Hebrew 5.1 Dolby Digital audio options strong and well-balanced. Extras on the disc include a 16-minute making of doc in Hebrew with English subtitles and the standard issue AXS TV featurette plus selection of trailers from Magnet.

Verdict: BIG BAD WOLVES has a superb cast, the cinematography is quite nice and a great score from composer Moshe Edery. Director/writers Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado are definitely a film making duo to watch. This is a razor-sharp kidnapping-thriller with a wicked sense of humor that will have you wondering right up till the end if this guys a child murderer or not. Not sure what their next project might be but they will have a segment on the upcoming ABCs OF DEATH  2 anthology film. 4 Outta 5

Review: BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013)

Distributor: Magnolia Releasing

Video: 16:9 Widescreen (2.35:1) 
Audio: Hebrew with English Subtitles 
Directors: Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado
Cast: Lior Ashkenazi, Rotem Keinan, Tzahi Grad, Dov Glickman, Menashe Noy, Rami, Dvir Bebedek

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013) comes to us from demented duo of writer/directors Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado who first popped up on my radar with RABIES (2010), a nasty slice of bloodbath cinema with a dark streak of humor. 

The duo's latest is a kidnapping thriller that touches on some pretty dark subject matter. A deranged sicko is abducting, raping and dismembering young girls, the staged bodies are discovered minus their heads and with the toenails removed, it's a stomach churning nightmare scenario for any parent to even contemplate. The prime suspect is a religious studies teacher named Dror (Rotem Keinan), but with no actual evidence against him other than suspicion a desperate detective (Lior Ashkenazi) attempts to illicit a confession with brute force but fails. The incident of police brutality is captured on video and posted on YouTube and in the aftermath rogue detective Mickey (Lior Ashkenazi) is relieved of his position and Dror loses his teaching job when parents protest the suspected child killer's employment. 

Enter a desperate father named Gidi (Tzahi Grad) who mourns for his daughter, a victim of the child killer. Gidi is out for revenge and  he and the vigilante detective uncomfortably join forces, kidnapping the suspected predator and strapping him to a chair in a basement in an effort to squeeze a confession through whatever means necessary, no matter how repulsive.

They really put the screws to Dror, the torture sequences had me squirming in my seat, it's pretty uncomfortable stuff. So it's pretty dark but then there are moments of dark humor, suddenly we're baking a cake and then Gridi's aged father shows up and take parts in the proceedings, the scent of burning flesh making him nostalgic for beef, there's definitely some very weird and dark humor peppered throughout the film. 

Honestly, as thrillers go there's not a lot new under the sun with BIG BAD WOLVES, it's just assembled with just the right amount of tension and precision and executed wonderfully, and that fantastic sense of dark humor sharpens the point of the more horrific elements, it definitely had a Coen Brothers sensibility about it. . 

The cast is superb, the cinematography is rather nice and the ominous score from Moshe Edery sounds fantastic, this is straight-up good stuff. Director/writers Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado are ones to watch, this is without a doubt an early contender for best of 2014, a razor-sharp thriller with a throbbing vein of black comedy that will have you wondering if this guy did or not right up till the end, this is highly recommended. 
4 Outta 5 

BIG BAD WOLVES (2013) comes to theaters, On Demand and iTunes on January 17th.  Check out a screening at the following theaters, hopefully it's screening somewhere near you.

1/17/2014
Chicago, IL: Music Box
New York, NY: Cinema Village

1/23/2014
Miami, FL: O Cinema Wynwood

1/24/2014

Columbus, OH: Gateway Film Center 8
Scottsdale, AZ: Shea 14 Theatre

1/30/2014

Charlotte, NC: Movies @ CrownPoint 12

1/31/2014
Dallas, TX: Texas Theatre
North Kansas City, MO: Screenland Armour 2
Tucson, AZ: The Loft Cinema
Winston-Salem, NC: Aperture Cinema

2/14/2014
Salem, MA: Cinema Salem 3

3/8/2014
Ooltewah, TN: Barking Legs Theater