Pack of Pain

Pawel Regdosz is clearly an extremely talented film-maker; but "Pack of Pain" is very much a guy's film - its (admittedly breathtakingly well staged and shot) fight sequences are so vicious as to make uncomfortable viewing for a woman spectator.

Furthermore, the film's only female character, the tobacco industry spokesperson Monika, is evil and manipulative, with no qualms about entering into a conspiracy with a corrupt Government minister; or about using her seductive powers to corrupt others. When, half-naked, she receives savage retribution at the hands of our terminally ill hero Dante ... are we supposed to cheer?!

And the repeated scenes of Dante coughing up blood are gruesomely explicit too!

I do hope Pawel's next film will avoid all this machismo and misogyny.