PopHorror Let's Get Scared
When I first came across Bodies (also known as Paramedics), I expected a potentially gruesome story of unsuspecting medical patients falling victim to organ harvest operation for black market profit. As it turns out, this was only the beginning for this feature from writer and director Rodney Wilson (Junkies). What unfolds is a twisted story with much more depth than anticipated.
The film opens with two brothers, Corey (Joe Bocian) and Jeffery (Brian Landis Folkins), who intercept an emergency call by pretending to be paramedics. The unsuspecting victim awakes to find herself cut open on an operating table. As she begins to scream, Corey scolds his brother for forgetting to cut the vocal cords. Finishing the job and showing the thorough process of covering their tracks, it is clear the duo have been harvesting organs and selling them on the black market for quite some time. However, on account of Jeffery’s mild mental handicap and gentle nature, Corey is ruthless, giving orders and orchestrating a devious, elaborate operation.
The brothers’ black market business is turned upside down when they kidnap Cindy (Jenice Marshall), a woman who happens to bear a striking resemblance to someone from Corey and Jeffery’s twisted past. Finding themselves unable to kill Cindy, the brothers decide to keep her prisoner while her injury heals. Forcing her to watch an organ harvesting operation is just one of the many psychological tortures Cindy endures while held captive. Upon repeatedly being physically violated, Cindy becomes desperate to find a way to turn the tables on her captors.
Taking place primarily in one room, Bodies relies heavily on outstanding performances to carry the film. The small cast goes above and beyond surpassing every expectation. With Brian Landis Folkin’s performance, one cannot help but feel sympathy for Jeffery who, not knowing any better, goes along with his brother out of loyalty. Because he feels compassion, Jeffery retains some humanity while his brother does not. Bocian’s portrayal of a heartless, volatile villain will have your blood boiling throughout the course of the film. Although both actors giving great performances, it is Marshall who steals the screen as a woman inflicted with fear and trauma as she becomes hell-bent on survival.
In addition to the cast performances, Bodies goes deeper, giving an unexpected, twisted backstory to the brothers, offering up a disturbing reason as to why they find themselves incapable of killing their prisoner. This element adds depth to the film while avoiding what could have been a gigantic plot hole that would not have gone unnoticed.
While the idea behind the conclusion is very fitting and satisfying, the execution could have been a little better. Perhaps it was due to the outstanding performances of the leading roles, but the inclusion of a few last minute extras seems to throw off the tone a bit from the rest of the film. While it may not be an award-winning smash hit, Bodies invokes few complaints and offers some surprise. This abduction film is one to see, offering depth and substance where others of the subgenre fall short. Bodies is currently available on here.
