Just yesterday, I attended the Blood on the Beach convention, where I got to meet and talk with several different celebrities who made an impact in the horror genre. I managed to actually meet and speak with actor Michael Biehn, who you may remember as Kyle Reese from "The Terminator". It was at that moment when I found out he had directed his very first film titled "The Victim", which starred Biehn, his wife Jennifer Blanc, and even Danielle Harris. All of them were very nice people in person, and I knew that I had to see this movie for myself at the screening. How was the film itself? Well, I actually enjoyed it! I don't watch independent films that much, but this one, I have to admit, entertained me throughout, and is a damn fine directorial debut for Biehn.
Now there are some things that you need to know before you see it so you know what to expect. It's low budget, it was shot in 12 days, it's not meant to be taken too seriously, and it's played for exploitation. So as long as you don't expect a bigger-than-life, serious, brilliantly acted/written film, I think you will end up enjoying the film. I must admit, for a film that had a small budget and was shot in only 12 days, it's surprisingly well made. For me, no scene in particular felt forced, because whether it was a flashback used to build up on certain characters or a scene that further develops the story, it all came off as natural and I never felt that any scene should have been re-done.
The acting was pretty solid as well. Some of it or even some of the dialogue in particular could have been improved, but it's never quite groan inducing like you would find the acting or writing in other thrillers. Biehn's wife, who is basically the title role of "The Victim", plays her role pretty well and although she isn't particularly great, her character became more and more interesting as the film progressed, so any 'meh' writing given to her character was instantly forgettable. Ryan Honey and Denny Kirkwood are pretty great as the 2 cops who are hunting down Jennifer Blanc's character after she notices a murder of one of her friends committed by them. Danielle Harris, as usual, comes off as great looking eye candy and turns in a nice performance for the screen time that she is given. As for Michael Biehn? Well, he pretty much gives the best performance of the entire film. No surprises there.
As for the overall tone of the film, I gotta say, it doesn't quite play out like you may think it will. While it never takes itself too seriously, it never plays into "B-movie camp" either. Also, the film never reached that point where it really felt like an exploitation flick. The violence itself is not over-the-top and most of it doesn't occur until the last 20 minutes, so if you go in expecting a gore-fest, you will probably be disappointed. The editing itself is also a bit of a mixed bag. Although it is mostly impressive, it sets a tone that makes you feel that the film will play different than it REALLY does. Those things weren't really an issue for me, but I feel that some may not like the film because of them. I thought it would have been nice, however, if some of the driving scenes were cut a little bit, as I thought they went on a little too long.
Overall, despite some small nitpicks, I found myself really enjoying "The Victim". It won't break any new ground nor will it win a lot of awards, but for what it is, it's a fun, well-made, and entertaining independent film that proves that actors can do more than just turn in good performances.
Congrats to Michael Biehn, Jennifer Blanc, Danielle Harris, and the rest of the cast and crew involved for this fun romp!
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