PopHorror Let's Get Scared
There’s something charming about a self-aware genre film that wears its tropes like a badge of honor. In the case of The Domestics, what you see is undeniably what, and all, you get – but that’s okay. It’s a nightmarish cross between Mad Max, The Warriors and The Crazies, and it’s one hell of a ride.
Written and directed by Mike P. Nelson, The Domestics is simplistic in its apocalyptic approach. The film begins with the government unleashing toxins across the country, killing a major portion of the American population. From there, we’re immediately cast into the lives of Nina (Kate Bosworth) and Mark (Tyler Hoechlin), a couple on the brink of separation, as they search for safety in a now-lawless, gang-riddled country. Unlike the gangs in The Warriors, though, these savages are especially violent. They’re dressed like every night is purge night, and their behavior follows suit. Apart from the rare compassionate citizen, these gangs get their rocks off by gruesomely disposing of innocent people, raping women (it’s implied that this happens, but never shown in the film), and taking whatever they want.
Though it was released in 2018, Mike P. Nelson has crafted a film that would’ve been right at home in the late-70’s and 1980s. From the moment that the old-school Orion Classics logo graces the screen, The Domestics manages to feel like the type of classic horror VHS you’d rent in the days of your youth. Nelson is unafraid to showcase those influences – even sprinkling in a hefty dose of sadistic humor – and in doing so, has written the ultimate love letter to an era of cinema past. This is a film that knows its target audience and caters to their every desire.
While The Domestics may not NEED great actors for Nelson to sell the film with tension, bloodshed and humor, the fact that viewers are treated to such committed performances from Bosworth, Hoechlin – and especially from supporting actor Lance Reddick, who simultaneously exudes an air of humanity AND an alpha level of confidence in his violence – is just an added bonus. This would have been perfectly fine genre fare without these performances, but instead, The Domestics is one of the year’s best horror offerings.
There’s no doubt that The Domestics will lack the same appeal to those outside of its target audience, but if it’s made for you, you’ll soak up every second of the film with a joyous grin on your face.
The Domestics was made for me.
