by Jon Partridge
It’s an old and commonly used refrain, style over substance, but sometimes it’s so appropriate. Final Girl is the directorial debut of Tyler Shields, a photographer whose controversial shoots have made him the favorite of many a celebrity, often playing on visuals that are reminiscent of physical abuse, trying to turn them into scenes of female empowerment. For his first cinematic effort, he offers up a revenge/thriller film that looks towards this aspect of his work.
Veronica (Abigail Breslin) is an young orphaned girl, taken under the watchful eye of a man (Wes Bentley) whose wife and child were murdered. He plans to exact his revenge by training Veronica as a killer to dole out justice to unsuspecting criminals. Veronica’s first mission is the elimination of a group of frat boys with a predilection for enticing blonde girls out into the woods and, after a series of games, turning them loose and hunting them down. Veronica plays bait and once in the trap turns the tables on the boys trying to kill her.
The titular final girl is the girl who makes it through to the end of the film and typically undermines the plans of the murderer. I always relish seeing films which empower women, showcasing their competency, confidence, and abilities. Sadly this endeavor is largely underwritten and derivative, compensating for a lack of depth and originality with a visual flair. The gloss and verbiage all allude to something meta or allegorical, but looking past that it’s a pretty vacuous affair.
Final Girl is hamstrung due to its basic concept. The premise of recruiting a teenage girl to exact revenge rather then it being doled out by a grown man is flimsy at best, and after 12 years the final “trained” product seems somewhat unsure of exactly what is expected of her. It’s an opening that leaves you questioning much about the logic of the film and is hardly helped by the lack of any substance in what comes next.
It lacks all life, and flat delivery by both Bentley and Breslin means there is little to engage in. The frat pack make a impression with their loud douchey behavior, but that in itself is hardly appealing. You should root for the comeuppance of these boys, but the overly stylized nature of the piece leaves you just relieved as they are picked off rather than elated, the knowledge that each elimination brings the end of the film ever closer.
The aforementioned aesthetics of the piece are commendable. It’s set in the ’50s, which only adds to the visual appeal, showcasing retro features along with some vibrant saturated colors. This era also strips the film of much of the technology that provides logical solutions to problems encountered by teens in any of today’s horror films. We get some narrative flirting with issues of playing on people’s fears and a study of who is the victim, but nothing substantial. Adam Prince’s screenplay has sprinkles of dead-pan humor throughout, but is largely devoid of any tension or interest.
THE PACKAGEThe film looks good. There’s no understating that. Deep blacks, great texture, and vibrant colors all come across well in the transfer. Special features include two trailers, one for the film and one for Tyler Shields himself, you know, in case you wanted a little self-promotion besides the film itself. There is also a photo gallery which has additional commentary from Shields. Funnily enough there is no commentary for the film itself, which alludes to where his priorities lay. There are also a few outtakes and a “The Making of Final Girl” featurette which adds little to the viewer’s knowledge.
THE BOTTOM LINETaken as a series of stills, Final Girl carries visual impact, but as a moving picture it lacks any cohesion, tension, or depth. It’s a cold film that adds little of note to the genre. If you’re a fan, you’ll be pleased with the release. But I suspect such people will be few and far between. Underwhelming.
Final Girl is available on Blu-ray from October 6th.