202. A Vigilante; movie review

A VIGILANTE
Cert 15
89 mins

BBFC advice: Contains strong language, bloody violence, references to domestic abuse

No right-minded person is able to understand men who beat up their partners but, sadly, domestic violence is all too common.
If only women could galvanise themselves to hit back in the style of Olivia Wilde in A Vigilante.
Sarah Daggar-Nickson's film sees Wilde as a revenge-seeker who is called in by those who are victims of brutality.
Wilde's character, Sadie, is devoted to helping them rid themselves of their persecutors through aggression and humiliation.
Meanwhile, the movie tracks back her own history to the husband (Morgan Spector) who set her down the path of vengeance.
Wilde gives one of her most emotionally-draining performances to date. Hers is not conventional revenge - it comes with a whole carousel of baggage.

And there is not gratuitous violence. Much of the blood-letting happens out of eye line.
But the film is let down by the way it meshes timelines so badly that I could not work out whether I was in the past or the present.
Nevertheless, if you want a woman who literally kicks the ass of those who deserve it most, Wilde's Sadie is your gal.

Reasons to watch: Unusual take on domestic abuse
Reasons to avoid: Jolts rather too much

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 6.5/10

Did you know? Nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. During one year, this adds up to more than 10 million women and men.

The final word. “I’ve always wanted to be Batman but now I got to play a vigilante superhero grounded in reality, a hero that these survivors of domestic violence really deserve. We wanted to create something with the strength and courage that was worthy of these survivors.”

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