PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I’ve been sitting on this film for some time now because I am a huge fan of the director and wanted to give it the respect and attention it deserved. However, when it comes to assault especially sexual assault, sometimes I’m not able to watch things because it triggers my own trauma. But I was finally ready. The film was directed and written by Samuel Vainisi (Breathe). It has a killer indie cast including Alyss Winkler (Space Babes from Outer Space), Jason Crowe (Wicked Ones), Ember Burns (Sweet Little Holly), and Brian Papandrea (Beyond the Valley of Belief).
Synopsis for Violet
Moments after being brutally violated, a once starry eyed girl named Violet wonders through the night traumatized and completely changed.
First, let me start off by saying don’t let that synopsis fool you. Violet was far more involved than that and there’s so much to unpack from this film. I can’t speak for all assault survivors, but I would say a majority love the idea of revenge in some capacity. For some, it goes a little deeper and darker than others. For Violet, she wants the ultimate revenge and I was her own personal cheerleader. Will revenge make her feel better? Only one way to find out. However, things don’t go as planned and her bittersweet revenge soon becomes quite complicated. Think Hard Candy meets I Spit On Your Grave.
Although this film deals with some triggering material, it was executed beautifully and I think it reflects how painful the aftermath of assault can be. It’s not just something that just goes away because you survived. It haunts you and even if you seek revenge, it will haunt you. The best option is to seek therapy and surround yourself with people who will support you through your recovery. The film was also shot incredibly well with emotionally-powerful performances.
Alyss Winkler and Jason Crowe are both well known in indie horror and I’m very familiar with their work. I was blown away by their performances and chemistry in Violet. Both performances felt raw and brutally honest. I felt a deep connection to them both and loved the relationship they developed throughout the film. I also equally loved Ember Burn’s character and sympathized with what she was going through as a Mother.
But not everything can be sunshine and rainbows. This film was dark and brutal. It’s a revenge film and Violet doesn’t hold back. In some scenes, weiners are cut off and I can’t say I’m sorry about it. I may have even cheered. I mean, therapy can be expensive, but cutting off body parts is priceless! So yes, Violet was deliciously bloody and gory with awesome special effects. I don’t think they had a huge budget, so this film was overall impressive.
Final Thoughts
I’m a little bummed I waited so long to watch Violet, but it was well worth the wait. If you would like to check out this film it is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. It is also available at https://samuelvainisiart.storenvy.com/. If you end up loving this one, stay tuned for Samuel Vainisi’s Scarlett, releasing later this year!
