Violation (Movie)

In this thriller, a woman exacts revenge against those who betrayed her and soon discovers the cost of answering violence with more violence.Vengeful women have long been the backbone of the thriller genre. Though Miriam (Madeleine Sims-Fewer), the protagonist of “Violation,” may wish to follow in those coldblooded footsteps, she can’t stomach her own revenge plot — literally. In one moment, when blood is shed, Miriam vomits for an uninterrupted, 78-second shot, heaving on all fours like a cat. Sims-Fewer, who wrote, directed and produced the film with Dusty Mancinelli, drank a pint of salt water so that she could actually throw up for the scene. Such merciless dedication to realism pervades the film, resulting in a revenge story that is ultimately more unsettling — and more successful — than many of its predecessors.This debut feature from Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli centers on Miriam, a woman on the edge of divorce, as she endures a betrayal by her brother-in-law, Dylan (Jesse LaVercombe). Unable to confide in her estranged husband (Obi Abili) and scorned by her sister (Anna Maguire), Miriam takes catharsis into her own hands. To say exactly what happens between Miriam and her loved ones, or how she seeks justice, would topple this delicate construction, which uses a naturalistic approach to depict unnatural violence.At once dreamy and punishingly real, “Violation” seeks to bring viewers into the world of its unraveling protagonist. The story unfurls in non-chronological order, throwing the viewer into Miriam’s trauma-addled memory. Extreme close-ups both intensify and obscure horrific acts, and the sparse script stretches out dialogue-free scenes, the action only punctuated by breaths or sobs.Exemplary performances further ground the film. The actors share incredible chemistry, lending each relationship history and importance while also making it difficult to love or despise anyone completely. Sims-Fewer is the standout, a quadruple threat whose fearlessness renders a protagonist devolving from a doe-eyed wisecrack to a woman on the verge. She is at her best opposite Maguire, their sisterly dynamic constantly wavering between devotion and competition.Nearly all of the action takes place in the woods of Quebec, adding a primal layer to the naturalism. As predators and prey — spiders and flies, wolves and rabbits — cross these humans’ paths, Miriam struggles up the food chain. Though a lifelong “white knight” to her sister, she is also a bleeding heart, outspoken against hunting. In an early scene, she traps a spider under a glass, despite her husband’s insistence that she kill it. Later, when she ensnares a human predator, that mercy is not a mistake she intends to repeat.Though “Violation” throws one outlandish task into Miriam’s otherwise methodical quest for vengeance, the film marks a commendable achievement for its first-time feature directors. Sims-Fewer and Mancinelli have given their subject matter the focus it deserves, distinguishing themselves as thoughtful, artistic and uncompromising in their shared vision. This female-centered story manages to be gutsy while resisting exploitation — a welcome and nuanced addition to a genre often hobbled by didacticism.ViolationNot rated. Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes. Watch on Shudder. More