Torment

2013 "Welcome to the family."
4.6| 1h22m| R| en| More Info
Released: 11 October 2013 Released
Producted By: Gearshift Films
Country: Canada
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Newlyweds Cory and Sarah Morgan take Cory's 7-year-old son Liam up to the country for some much needed family time. When it appears as if Liam has run away, psychological suspense becomes straight-out horror, as Sarah and Cory must now confront a sadistic cult-like family who have been hiding in the house all along and have taken Liam for themselves.

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Reviews

Protraph Lack of good storyline.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Guillelmina The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
FountainPen This movie seems to have been shot with the camera lens stopped down several clicks, with no studio lights, with a cloth over the lens ! It is too dark to see what's going on most of the time. Even watching on a 42" screen with all kinds of settings, I could not get a clear image. Apparently the producers and director thought darkness would compensate for the lack of a proper thought-out story and decent actors. The film was in a big bunch of DVDs I bought for a bargain price, so it cost me only a few pennies, thank goodness. It did waste my time and annoy me, but I can rise above that. NOT recommended in any way, except to persons needed a sleep-help! I cannot think of any praise for it.
Max_Renn ***Very Mild Spoilers***The mildly serviceable acting and the mediocre characterization in the first third of the film is the only reason, I have given this 2 stars. Otherwise, it would be totally irredeemable. It's one of the darkest movies I have ever seen. Not in tone, but actual lighting. It's impossible to see about half of this movie. I applaud their efforts for realistic lighting, but all it truly accomplished was making this movie incredibly hard to see.It's your typical home invasion style thriller. And, when I say typical, you have probably seen every trope this movie will throw at you before. Full disclosure, I'm not a fan of Haneke's Funny Games. I think for all of the intelligent criticism leveled at the audience, the director and studios are miraculously spared. Even though, they are the ones profiteering from violent and exploitative cinema. I bring this up, because to be honest, Torment is a caricature of Funny Games. It lacks the wit or genuine suspense. And, though I loathed Funny Games, it garnered a strong emotional response from me. This movie made me feel nothing. Not even Nihilism. Literally, nothing.The first third is okay, and the characterization is subtle, often that it works in explaining who these people are. It's also daytime and a rare point of high visibility in the film. We have the semi-typical dysfunctional family unit. And, I actually bought that. Over time, it devolves quickly, once horror is injected.Hillbilly sadists invade their home and seemingly abduct the son of the two protagonists. We're left to wonder if indeed he was abducted or not. Over the course of the movie, we discover to some small extent the motivation behind the psychopathic hillbillies, but barely. Don't expect any satisfying explanations as to their psychopathy, because you will not receive one.The family goes through typical "escaping the killer" scenarios. And without offering too much information, it's essentially what you'd expect. The father is put to some test of his moral fortitude. But, it's pretty laughable. Time and again I thought, Funny Games. Without going bit by bit, if you've seen both films, the way this film blatantly copies numerous scenes in Funny Games is mildly embarrassing. I'm not sure if it's meant as homage. But it just feels like unintended plagiarism. Overall, Tormented is a very weak movie with below sub-par writing that has no intention for a genuine conclusion (sequel!). What we're given about the characters is unimportant and dissatisfying for the most part. While our actual questions are never answered. Don't waste your time with this one. Watch Funny Games. If you're like me, you'll hate it, but at least it will mean something to you. Where, this movie is just a melange of bad horror tropes compiled into a pitch black universe where their concept of psychological terror is veiled cliché.
Nigel P Corey (Robin Dunne) and his new wife Sarah (Katharine Isabelle) move into a fairly isolated house, with Corey's son Liam. Sadly, little Liam (Peter DaCunha) resents Sarah because he misses his mother, which is understandable. However, as is so very often the case, scenes with a minor acting in a brattish and petulant fashion immediately causes audience rankles to rise. Corey's endeavours to 'understand' the child make me wish he'd just wallop the little sod and cause me to become irritated by his ineffectuality ("Promise me you'll give her a chance, boss," he implores more than once). From the very beginnings of 'Torment' I find this a big hurdle to overcome.One night, after hearing some noises around the house, they find Liam is missing. Instead of celebrating, they call the police. Thus begins another in the sub-genre known as 'home invasion', where the calm and comfort of home is forcibly interrupted by some nightmarish killer or other. As a sub-genre, its immediate limitations mean any film to fall under this category is virtually guaranteed to be surprise-free.This doesn't mean such projects cannot succeed as horror films if they are well done. And thankfully when the often silent invaders strike, dressed in tatty animal head-pieces things liven up. For even though their features are masked, they are more interesting than the remaining two bastions of 'family'.As the opening quote indicates ("When one has not had a good father, one must create one" – Nietzsche), it is the concept of 'family' that tries to propel this story. Just as Sarah is given the thrilling prospect of adding further children to Corey's litter, the barely-glimpsed mutants are looking for their own 'new' mothers and fathers to add to their clan. That such a perfunctory thriller results from this, should we then be heart-warmed when, (spoiler) after Corey has been killed and Sarah has been repeatedly beaten, munchkin Liam finally 'forgives' his new mother and decides she isn't so bad after all? Personally, I would have been more satisfied if the little twerp had somehow been behind the horrific events.
tmgoogol Long story short this is hands down one of the worst films I've ever watched. This is one of those films i wonder how did this get made. Who would finance something so bad and if this can be made into a movie then anyone can make a movie. The story made absolutely no sense. The characters were boring and unbelievable. I've read the other reviews the acting was terrible!!! Great acting draws you in and makes the film seem real. This film failed to do that it didn't stir any emotions during and only one after - ANGER!!! Im not mad about the small fee I paid to rent the movie, I'm more upset I'll never get back that 1 and 35 minutes wasted on this film! I could have had more fun watching paint dry or being stung by hornets! Please take my warning and pass on this movie.