PopHorror Let's Get Scared
The hardest part of owning a pet is watching them get old and suffer, or so one would think. Try being the person that has to do the physical act of putting the animal down. The 2017 movie, Euthanizer, delves into the mind of such a person and shows the darkness and sadness that is felt after allowing so many animals to hasten death and find peace.
Euthanizer is a Finnish film that was written and directed by Teemu Nikki. It centers around Veijo (Matti Onnismaa), the town mechanic who also provides the additional service of euthanizing local pets. He sounds like he would be a horrible individual, but he actually has a love and respect for animals. His actions towards them shows kindness as he tries to make their transition over the Rainbow Bridge as peaceful as possible and end their suffering.
Veijo may have a fondness for animals, but he has a disdain for their owners. He eloquently provides them with life lessons on how they have failed their pets. There is one owner in particular that he despises, a guy named Petri (Jari Virman), who brings his black mutt to Veijo to be put down, but the dog is healthy. This later leads to the main conflict in the movie.
Initially, I was hesitant to review Euthanizer. I absolutely hate movies with subtitles, and this is a Finnish film with English subtitles. After watching the preview, I realized my disdain for those distracting lines of words could be disregarded as my instincts were telling me that this movie was something special.
There are great performances by all the actors involved with Euthanizer, but Matti Onnismaa’s portrayal of Veijo is exceptional. He takes us on an emotional journey as we see him develop a bond with his new dog and start a romantic relationship with a younger women. We watch as he deals with his torn relationship with his father. His performance is just breathtaking.
The cinematography is really well done throughout the movie. The scenes that involve ending the lives of the sick animals are exceptional. It makes the audience feel present in the experience.
There is some derogatory language used in the film that is racially offensive. The antagonist is part of a white supremacist group, and they are the individuals spouting the hateful speech. While it is hard to hear these words being used, it paints a picture of how horrible these characters are.
Final Thoughts:
Euthanizer is a unique find that I am glad that I had the opportunity to view. The story flows so well and I was able to stay engaged the entire film. I even forgot about the subtitles. It is at the top of my list for indie films for this year.
