Hey gang, Valkor here. Growing up and even nowadays, I’ve always
been opened into trying new things. So long as it’s not too far
out of my comfort zone, I’m willing to give it a try. But even
if I’m willing, there’s still that feeling of uncertainty as to
whether or not I should go forward. With MediaView, I’ve faced
that feeling numerous times, but even more so with the latest
film to come my way – Final Girl. I was definitely hesitant going
in because I actually read the synopsis for this one and I wasn't
sure I wanted to go forward. But my feelings about the film once
I started? Well… read on! Some spoilers ahead.
Final Girl puts the focus on Veronica (Abigail Breslin), whom as a young girl her parents were killed in an accident. She’s questioned and tested by a man named William (Wes Bentley) by a man who will eventually become her trainer. He teaches Veronica a “particular set of skills” not only meant for her survival, but also to create a deadly assassin, which continues into adulthood. And her first mission? To take out a group of men who have been known to lure women into the woods, hunt them down and kill them. One member of the pack has an affinity for blondes, and that works to Veronica's favor her blonde hair and innocent demeanor will be her way into the pack's circle of trust. And once she's made it in, she’ll use all her intellect, cunning and fighting prowess to make it out alive… or die trying.
Initially I thought the Final Girl would be a lot like “Taken”, but as the film progressed I could see it’s actually more like “You’re Next” sans the masks… and the family being terrorized. But let’s not forget that there’s some terrorizing going on here. And as much as I loved both of the aforementioned films, how does Final Girl fare by comparison?
The Good:
Final Girl was definitely something kinda different - it's very simple, packed with just the right balance of story, action and even romance to make for one entertaining thriller worth watching. The story is tight and very straightforward, with no veering off into crazy backstories or weird flashbacks (because this movie has that type of feel to it, yet it never happens), it goes in, tells its tale and finishes on an intense note. The action bits are well choreographed and very rough to give it that “real feel”; this holds especially true watching Veronica throw blows – it just feels very real. I was exhausted for her! Now the acting is what makes the film and Abigail Breslin’s “Veronica” is my new favorite femme fatale; she has that very sweet, very innocent “girl next door” look about her, but she can also snap your neck at a moment’s notice. And that’s the hook, which is something I can get behind. The rest of the cast put on spot on performances, which helps carry the film towards its expected finisher. I was very uncertain about Final Girl going in, but the end results left me quite impressed with the film overall. Great job all around!
The Bad:
Final Girl left me with so many unanswered questions but at the same time it doesn’t really matter because it’s all about Veronica’s mission and the film never deviates from its course. Too many times I’ve watched a film that was bogged down with so much backstory that you wanna scream “just get to the damn point!”. But with Final Girl, there’s no need for it as what you see is literally what you get.
The Ugly:
The one dude with his mom… what’s going on there?
Final Girl gets a digital release on August 15th and if you’re looking for a straightforward psychological thriller with a decent dose of action and suspense, then definitely give this one a try. And out of TOV 5 stars, I’m giving Final Girl a 4.
