Told in a non-linear fashion, Violation is the latest film to tackle what has been termed the ‘rape and revenge’ story. Miriam (co-director Madeleine Sims-Fewer) and her husband Caleb (Obi Abili), join sister Greta (Anna Maguire) and her partner, Miriam’s old school friend, Dylan (Jesse LaVercombe), for a weekend away. As relationships are analysed and dissected, Miriam finds herself violated by those closest to her. A year later, Miriam is still struggling with past events and sets out on a bloodthirsty mission.
The non-linear structure is an intriguing choice by co-directors Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli. Typically a rape-revenge film follows a simple path: build up to rape, rape, revenge, but Violation opts for build up, revenge, rape, aftermath. Whilst it is an interesting decision, it dilutes the vengeance side of the story. With no prior knowledge of Miriam’s ordeal, the viewer is left confused and befuddled when she starts exacting bloody retribution. Once the story rewinds, and we witness the assault, it becomes anticlimactic to know that revenge has already been claimed. A more contemplative take on an horrific story, Violation explores all facets of the word. It’s an important title as the whole film is built around varying degrees of violation. There’s the obvious violation of Miriam’s body against her will, but the film also explores the violation of trust, friendship, marital vows, and sisterhood.
Violation is constructed by interconnecting scenes of dialogue primarily made up of lots of aimless chat between characters, none which really disclose much information, or serve to further the plot. Instead, these discussions offer tiny insights into the intrapersonal relationships between our small cast of players. However, the story isn’t particularly enriched by their inclusion. By drawing conversations out and rambling on about unnecessary and trivial things, all that is achieved is a bloated runtime. The pacing really lags, Violation feeling every second of its 107 minutes, and though purposely told in this way in an attempt to have the viewer marinate in the mood and atmosphere, it instead allows boredom in. The slow pace is paired with a gloomy, depressive, and oppressive atmosphere. It works at reinforcing Miriam’s detached and numb state of being, but once again presents the viewer with little to nothing to cling onto.
What the film does well is that it taps into a stronger vein of fact surrounding sexual assault than others in the sub-genre. We’re all used to these films following a young woman as she encounters a stranger whom she is later abused by. This isn’t the case here; like many victims of sexual assault, Miriam knows her attacker. Mirroring life, he’s someone very close to her, and by tackling the topic from this angle, Mancinelli and Sims-Fewer offer something that is not only different, but also chillingly real. By sticking so close to reality, the pair also open up the chance to deal with the aftermath of the ordeal in a way that hasn’t been seen much before.
Tapping into the real and inescapable horror of the realities of sexual assault and trauma, Violation spends a lot of time doing very little. Beneath all the aimless chatter and a mis-judged narrative structure lie some moments of pure blood curdling horror. Sadly, when played out within these confines, they struggle to land with the impact they so richly deserve.
Violation is available on Shudder from 25th March 2021.
Violation
Summary
Gloomy and depressive, Violation takes its time to not say much, though does present a more realistic account of sexual assault and trauma than the genre normally gives.
