15 Second Review: The Loved Ones

Of all the films I refer to in Torture Porn: Popular Horror after Saw, The Loved Ones is probably the most criminally underrated. The film offers its audience a set of uncomfortable balances. For example, although the narrative events are hideous, the cinematography is gorgeous - I am particularly taken with the rich dark navy and pink combinations in the colour palette. In another (more thematic) example, the fuzzy line between dark comedy and disturbing horror is kept in perfect equilibrium throughout. However, my favourite of the film's disquieting stresses arise out of Robin McLeavy's breath-taking turn as Lola. McLeavy walks a tightrope between sweet and rabidly psychotic throughout, never tipping fully into or abandoning either. Resultantly, McLeavy's performance is not only wonderfully nuanced, but it also creates an electrifying tension at the film's core: it is never wholly clear what Lola is capable of and what she will do next. My 15 Seconds are up, but I've said enough already: anyone reading this who has not yet seen The Loved Ones should stop reading and buy a copy. Anyone reading this who has seen it should stop reading and watch it again.