4/16/20 - The Odds (2018) - 4-/10

Torture-porny at its base, but psychologically manipulative at its core. Perhaps there is something about gender politics, classism, or deep psychological imperatives driving the characters that could have been. Unfortunately, we don’t really see it in this stripped down horror jolter. I appreciated that most of the time, it focused in that lonely room with nothing but her, her pain, and her handler, but it struggled to dramatize beyond “pushing the human limits”.

It would sometimes get into the dissociative transcendent realm of some of the pain - almost a hint of something Martyrs looked to. I wouldn’t say that it is wise to emulate that chilling one-timer. It did try to drill into what was driving our characters in this gross box of pain. It is too bad that I don’t think it worked with the psychological dance and humorous banter often felt off and very “screenplayey”. It strained believability when it is already strained.

At some point it does become significantly sleazy and overly sadistic, but what does one expect in a movie about such things. I guess I just wanted more and to not take cheap ways out. It loses its momentum as the final trial drags on and the murkiness of the situation gets more opaque. The end is limp when a rousing thrill is most needed. I would say that if you are looking for a similar story, check out 13 Tzameti; it is far superior.