Shudder Saturday: Get My Gun (2017)

Get My Gun has some enjoyable twists and turns, so I would encourage anyone interested in the film to watch it before reading my review. I knew nothing about it when I pressed play, and that is the best way to really enjoy it. Suffice to say, this is one I recommend, and I look forward to you revisiting this review when you've watched the film.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

A low down 'n' dirty little rape revenge thriller from Brian Darwas, Get My Gun is a great example of how to work within your limitations to deliver something with a gritty aesthetic that isn't acting slavishly beholden to all of the films it is being influenced by.

Kate Hoffman plays Amanda, a young woman who works as a motel housekeeper. She is put in charge of training a new start, Rebecca (Christy Casey), and the two soon become friends, rolling their eyes at the details of their daily routine. Rebecca soon decides to prank Amanda by removing a "Do Not Disturb" sign, but that doesn't work out well for anyone. Finding a lone man (William Jousset) in the room, Amanda becomes the victim of a serious sexual assault that will lead to her becoming pregnant, which will subsequently lead to her becoming involved with a woman (Catherine, played by Rosanne Rubino) who is looking to adopt.

While I have decided to err on the side of caution, there isn't a lot I have just mentioned above that isn't obvious to viewers from the first scene. The structure of the film allows for a couple of bookends, one that seems a bit strange without context (although . . . we know what kind of film we're getting into so an educated guess can be made) and the other more satisfying with everything having now been revealed in the rest of the film. I think the structure works in favour of the film, although some may disagree. The script, co-written by Darwas and executive producer Jennifer Carchietta, allows for a decent mix of solid characterisation and the kind of satisfying, and cathartic, payback that needs to be delivered.

Although I haven't seen her in anything else, Hoffman is brilliant in the lead role. She makes for a superb "normal" woman, getting viewers onside without having to rely on any major quirks or obvious gimmickry. Casey is fine alongside her, boosted by Hoffman as the two display a believable chemistry together while they move from complete strangers to co-workers to friends. Rubino is a lot of fun, changing her personality quickly as her true nature starts to show through, and Jousset doesn't have to do too much more to make viewers want to see him get his just desserts, considering the loathsome nature of his character.

The third act will test the patience of some viewers, there are some moments of extreme physical trauma that feel as if they would render those involved incapacitated, at the very least, but it feels as if Darwas and his cast/characters have earned it. Allowing people to bear more pain than most of us could endure allows for a much more satisfying punishment for the baddies, and that is what these films should always deliver.

After so many years spent working on documentaries and shorts, Darwas immediately throws his name in the hat as someone that genre fans should be keen to keep an eye on. Get My Gun is a fantastic, confident, work from someone who knows how to combine lots of familiar elements into something that still somehow manages to feel slightly unique.

8/10

Get My Gun is currently on Shudder, and available to buy from Tragic Bus (although I have been unable to get the website to work at this time).