User reviews

but this is essentially an exploitation film.

The most outstanding thing is the lead actors performance which was pretty amazing. I was expecting more from the film after the first half an hour or so, but the film never achieves the depth that Peter Marshall's performance suggests. The script doesn't do justice to the production or the acting.

It's enjoyable revenge flick but to try and engage with it on a level beyond that just exposes how silly and tasteless it all is.

Despite these misgivings there is a lot to like about the film and I hope the director and Peter Marshall especially progress to bigger and better things.

He's in pest control. The pests are human; specifically, pornographers. And though the name badge on his denim work dungarees says 'Christian', his ethical sensibilities have more in common with the Old Testament than with turning the other cheek.

The apocalyptically titled 'The Horseman' is the latest in a galloping line of 'vigilante dad' films stretching back to Ingmar Bergman's 'The Virgin Spring', in which a father, usually a divorcée or widower, made nutty by grief, ruthlessly picks off those responsible for violating and/or offing their daughters, nieces or wives. 'What would you do?' these films ask, like a caring Dr Miriam Stoppard. Before supplying the answer in the voice of Michael Winner: 'blow their balls off, dear!'

In Paul Schrader's 'Hardcore', for example, George C Scott's single-parent Calvinist makes merry hell in the porn pits of Los Angeles, after spotting his runaway daughter Kristen in a blue movie. While in Steven Soderbergh's 'The Limey', Terence Stamp's ex-con investigates his daughter Jenny's suspicious death in - where else - LA, leaving a trail of dead heavies behind him. While the 2006 Danish animation Princess sees a former missionary taking bloody revenge on those contributing to his porn star sister's sordid demise. Charles Bronson, especially, has form here: in 1958's 'Gang War', his mild-mannered maths teacher becomes self-appointed judge, jury and executioner when his wife is murdered by mobsters. While in 1974's 'Death Wish', his mild-mannered architect (was anyone buying this, by the way?) turns squinty-eyed vigilante after muggers rape and kill his wife and daughter. To lose one family to muggers may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness, as Oscar Wilde observed, before Bronson shot him.

The common denominator for many of these films - or to put it another way, the movie they're half-inching their plots from - is Mike Hodges' Britcrime classic 'Get Carter', the daddy of 'relative retribution' movies, in which Michael Caine's one-man murder-machine avenges the death of his brother and the virtual rape of his niece Doreen, coerced into a stag flick called 'Teacher's Pet' by the plum-faced fellow who went on to pull pints for Arthur and Terry at The Winchester.

In The Horseman the anonymously-posted porn video goes by the lovely name of 'Young City Sluts II', whose leading lady Jesse latterly resides in an urn in her dad's van, having expired on a tide of booze, opiates and bodily fluids post-shoot. If nothing else, this film underlines the fact that human ashes do not look in the least like fine, velvety sand; they look like kitty litter. Roving through rural Queensland, Christian (Peter Marshall) attempts to restore the karmic balance, leaving the distributor, director and performers with faces resembling bowls of peach melba, and a shortfall of testicles. A scene in which one leery larrikin has fishing hooks threaded through his Niagaras nearly rivals Hard Candy for leg-crossing trauma.

"Ozzie boys terrorising each other!" is how Quentin Tarantino describes the golden era of Australian exploitation movies in Mark Hartley's fantastic documentary Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story Of Ozploitation! And Steven Kastrissios's unflinching debut feature is just that: a riper slice of old school-style Ozploitation you could hardly wish for. However, as Tarantino also emphasised, "The reason you watch exploitation cinema is to have those moments when you're like, 'is this actually happening?! Am I actually seeing this?!'" And the first time The Horseman whips up a skull-soufflé with the conversational end of a crowbar, it might well make you blink, or at least reconsider seeking employment with the adult film industry. Yet within the first half-hour The Horseman finds itself trotting up a cul-de-sac.

This is bum-numbingly repetitive stuff: the Horseman locates target, and the lumbering Ocker-Beasts roll around on the floor, until the Horseman finally gets the better of his opponent with something blunt. Repeat six times until the audience relinquishes the urge to exist or becomes fixated on a rogue popcorn husk stuck in the back of the throat.

It's a real pity, because buried among the endless stabbings, gougings and nipple abuse (not to mention an unlikely scene when our middle-aged anti-hero dispatches three muscled twentysomethings single-handedly) there's clearly a classier movie struggling to get a word in edgeways. Aside from a solid central performance by Marshall as the deeply troubled, self-harming anti-hero, there's some interesting, complex stuff surrounding issues of culpability (Jesse, we discover, entered the industry entirely of her own volition), some fine technical flourishes, and good, naturalistic rapport between Christian and the young hitchhiking runaway Alice (Caroline Marohasy) he meets on the road, and with whom he comes to share an ersatz father-daughter relationship; a plot strand which also turns up in Hardcore - the ultra-devout Jake Van Dorn striking up a similar bond with Season Hubley's young hooker Niki.

So while The Horseman mightn't be the most accomplished entry in the recent New Wave of Australian horrors (see also Greg McLean's 'Wolf Creek' and 'Jamie Blanks' 'Storm Warning') this isn't to suggest it's altogether bound for the knacker's yard. There's enough potential here to suggest director Kastrissios is definitely a name to watch. He just needs to trust the fact that audiences are just as interested in characterisation and narrative as in seeing white walls repeatedly decorated with 'Neural Mist' by Dulux.

Written and directed by Steven Kastrissios, this is a 'no holds barred' revenge thriller.

Peter Marshall gives a compelling performance as 'Christian' a grief stricken father on a quest to revenge the death of his daughter.

Caroline Marohasy is impressive as 'Alice' as the troubled teenage runaway that Christian befriends.

The relationship that develops between Christian and Alice is a poignant one and makes the merciless brutality of his acts of revenge all the more shocking.

It is impossible not to become involved in the suspense and drama of this outback thriller.

A different kind of Road Trip that is. And don't confuse the movie with "Horsemen", which has Dennis Quaid starring in it. This little, dirty and pretty gruesome movie is a completely different affair. It's from down under (Australia) and is ... well down and dirty! The cinematography is raw, the acting is raw, pretty much everything is raw in this movie.

Not for the faint-hearted or anything for people who want to see something glossy. Everyone else, will see a pretty grim thriller, that might not have any (big) twists or surprises for you, but is still more than decent! I liked it and so did many at the Fright Fest in London.

A very low budget Liam Neeson-ish revenge thriller on steroids. A pissed off dad goes on a crazed killing spree against dirtbags who may/or may not have been involved in his heroin-addict daughter's death. Hard to feel sympathy for the protagonist and get invested in the story because the script clearly lays out that his adult daughter made very poor life decisions that lead to her demise. She overdosed and choked on her vomit, there wasn't foul play. As for the the filmmaking itself, The acting was passable, nothing special. The film looks and feels very indie, low budget which I guess adds to the grit the movie was going for. The violence was touch and go, some scenes it was fully shown while others the it was off screen.

Imagine a stylish, modern, ultra-dark and gritty re-run of the Liam Neeson actioner TAKEN, made on a tiny budget in Australia, and you'll be close to THE HORSEMAN, a film that takes visceral action to new levels of extremism. In a nutshell, the film's about revenge: a grieving father discovers that his daughter appeared in a porn film shortly before her death and goes to track down the men who coerced her into it. He wants nothing more than to beat their brains in with a crowbar, and that's exactly what he does.

So far, so par for the course when it comes to exploitation. Where THE HORSEMAN wins plaudits is in its intensity: there are a series of brutal action sequences as pulse-pounding as those in the Bourne films and the script never lets up when it comes to anger, sadism and vengeance. The performances elicited from an unknown cast are very down to earth and realistic, particularly Peter Marshall's depiction of a grieving father seeking revenge.

The violence is extreme and also realistic, often gratuitous. I feel the film oversteps the boundaries of taste at the climatic torture sequence, which delves into sexual violence unexpectedly and left me feeling sickened; it's clear that HOSTEL was an inspiration for this sequence and I can't help but feel that the film would have done better without it. Still, aside from this misstep, THE HORSEMAN hearkens back to the gritty downbeat revenge films of the 1970s, where lack of budget and scope was never a problem for a filmmaker with a dark story to tell.

First off, this film isn't going to appeal to everyone. It features graphic violence (most of it unseen) and a quite mundane plot that plods along. However, if you are a fan of old 70's and 80's exploitation films then you are in for a real treat. The story follows a man, who has been sent a video of his recently deceased daughter in a porn film. She's smacked off her t*ts and obviously isn't a willing participant. He takes it upon himself to track down all copies of said film, and anyone involved in it's making...And destroy them! This is gritty stuff. With little to no soundtrack, there is almost a documentary feel to it. It really makes you ask the question: What would you do? Although the plot isn't at all similar, it has the same kind of realism to films like the underrated 70's classic 'death weekend' and 'The Last House on the Left'. There is real drama here and characters that you truly root for. I hope this little gem doesn't slip under the radar because there are a lot of film fans (myself included) that have been waiting for this type of film to come along since the early 80's!

Novice Australian film maker Steven Kastrissios in his first feature has managed to cram a lot of anger into his revenge film THE HORSEMAN, in limited release in Australia. Why so limited? well, it's a sort of BAISE MOI level road film with WOLF CREEK ideology and a lot of people tied to chairs being tortured while they scream. Quentin and Eli (of HOSTEL infamy) no doubt would be very pleased with this spawn of their school of revenge cinema. It is all sad really; not just the heartbreaking back-story but that visual atrocity insistence by our young Steven. I really cannot imagine his Mum and Dad being too happy... maybe some psychiatric sessions might delve into his dark recesses since this is a first film and he is a young man stained with the quest to put visual cruelty, misery, humiliation and vicious beatings so prominently. For me it smacks (no pun intended) of a lack of talent. Really, just where does a revenge flick go? and why one so pulverizing... after all it can only be a shopping list of killing scenes padded with male bashings, pipe clubbings, stabbings... truly, in the end I was laughing at the absurdity of the fights and the cruelty. It lost all meaning. The film is far too long, too violent and relentlessly downward spiral. In a new generation of young film makers Mr Kastrissios has made an extreme film, unbalanced in its immature depiction of the worst depravity as if that is "creative drama". He has a lot to learn and you are warned that he will make more and herald it as clever. It is all sad, even the bloody existence of this attempt at porno cruelty revenge horror. It is as if he made a list of depraved things and connected violent screaming acts between them. The last 30 minutes of the film is so cruelly stupid you will likely laugh out loud especially during the strangulation with the garden hose. I bet the premiere was a doozy with the guests vomiting in the toilets at the after party and Mum and Dad looking to escape. The real test of his film making maturity will come in another film that simply has to be about something that offers value for time spent watching. THE HORSEMAN was occasionally interesting until it went so completely off the rails in the last act. And all from someone so young and bright but preferring (like the victim daughter of the film) to dive immediately into filth and brutality.

Christian is an everyman forty something pest controller, grieving over the death of his drug addicted tearaway daughter, found dead in mysterious circumstances. One day however, he receives a video tape through his letterbox. Upon playing it, he sees it's a porn film. A porn film starring his daughter... So begins a brutal, gritty and at times bone crunchingly violent odyssey of revenge, as Christian proves himself quite implacable and merciless when it comes to dispensing his own brand of justice on those he deems responsible for his grief. Yet, this is no simple ra-ra revenge driven film. It's just as much a study in loneliness and grief as well as a blistering revenge film, and has some rather poignant scenes, such as his tentative friendship with a young runaway hitch hiker. Also, NOBODY does scum quite like Australia, and to any Australian readers, believe me this is a compliment.

The Horseman is excellent-savage, grim, bleak yet touching. 9/10, one of the best revenge films I've ever seen, and that isn't something I'd say lightly.

Highly highly recommended for any fan of revenge films or horror. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

This is a story of one man's revenge against the people he holds responsible for the death of his daughter. It's a grim and grimy revenge tale full of bloody violence. It won't appeal to everyone and my wife ceased watching after 5 minutes but if you like these kinds of movie then you are likely to enjoy this.

The acting is pretty good and I thought Peter Marsh did a good job at gaining sympathy as the grief stricken dad doling out his own particular brand of justice. Brad McMurray is also worth a mention as one of the most imposing villains you could wish to see.

I wouldn't say this film had many surprises or a particular message but I find watching lowlife scum being deservedly dispatched pretty satisfying in its own right. The Horseman is a fast paced film and doesn't spend much time setting the scene before plunging straight into the action.

I enjoyed this film and thought it was a very good example of a quality revenge movie especially bearing in mind it's relatively low budget. Recommended.

Peter Marshall plays a pest control technician and revenge driven father who tortures and kills men who are responsible for the death of his daughter.The girl died just after shooting a threesome in an underground gonzo porn film."The Horseman" by Steve Kasrtissios is one hell of a brutal revenge thriller.The scenes of violence are extremely harsh and unflinching.The film is loaded with nasty fights and sadistic torture.The people are beaten with crowbar,claw hammer,sledgehammer,throats are slashed,genitals mutilated and nipples severed.The finale is incredibly violent.The central performance by Peter Marshall is exceptional.His wounded character oozes grief and retribution.9 crowbars out of 10.

The plot: After his daughter descends into drugs and pornography, a middle-aged man tracks down the people he blames for her death, while trying to prevent the same thing from happening to another runaway that he meets.

The Horseman is kind of a retread of the classic revenge movie. It's significantly more brutal than most of them, but that's pretty much all it has going for it. There's some interesting themes alluded to, but most of the run-time is either torture, wrestling, or shaky camera shots. If you don't like shaky cameras, you're unlikely to enjoy this movie.

The plot called for many violent action sequences. The fight choreography was alright, but there were a few scenes where it seemed a bit difficult to believe. Personally, I prefer classic Hong Kong-style fight choreography, so I found these scenes to be a bit uninspired and repetitious. However, MMA fans may be more receptive to the "no holds barred" brutality. I have to admit that the stunts were pretty good.

The plot seemed as repetitious as the fights, though the acting was pretty good. There were some interesting things thrown into the mix, such as the grieving father trying to feel alive by self-injury, him making friends with a surrogate daughter, and a family man who bailed on the porn shoot, because he found it too disturbing. Unfortunately, there just wasn't all that much more to it than that. For an exploitative revenge film, I guess there doesn't really need to be any more than that, but I would have liked more story, at the cost of one or two of the less interesting fight scenes.

The Horseman starts with our hero, played by Peter Marshall, dressed in what looks like a cable repairman's uniform, walking up to a home and knocking politely on the door. A man answers, and the two greet each other curtly. A second later we see Marshall beating the man's face in with a crowbar.

The brutality of "The Horseman" is probably the one thing that defines it more than anything else. It's a film we've seen before, and depending on who you talk to, we've seen it done better. The plot is classic noir revenge; Marshall's daughter is drugged, then raped, then killed. Marshal decides he will kill every person involved, and he does so brutally, not at all like the calculated way Denzel Washington or Liam Neeson took revenge in Man on Fire or Taken. He does so with the type of brutality we'd expect from such a dark and foreboding poster.

What "The Horseman" does deliver, though, and in a higher amount than its moral or lesson, is the atmosphere. The film is shadowy and dark, and makes no one look attractive or appealing. Instead, we are given a raw, evisceral look into Marshall's character's head, and how he has lost any sense of happiness since his daughter's death. The brutality once again let's the audience see into Marshall's lonely, vengeance-driven soul.

We are not given anything we have not seen before, though "The Horseman" is certainly worthy and dark entry into the noir-revenge genre. I approve.

The Horseman is a great revenge thriller with the courage not only to raise moral questions about what its protagonist is doing, but also to show violence in all its ugliness. It features an excellent performance by Peter Marshall, and some genuinely creative torture methods.

Marshall's character has just lost his daughter to a drug overdose. From an anonymously mailed DVD, he learns she was involved in a porno shoot just before she died. This revelation sends him on a brutal rampage directed at everyone who participated in the shoot.

What sets this film apart from most other films in this genre is its moral ambiguity. The filmmakers do not shy away from the bloody results of the protagonist's violence, and as several characters note, it is made clear that the daughter voluntarily participated in the shoot. Marshall's performance reinforces this aspect of the film, as even he comes to have doubts about what he's doing.

The film does slip somewhat in its final third, as the filmmakers resort to a typical action ending, with a final confrontation with the most evil pornographer of all. However, this does not detract from the overall quality of the film.

I was a a Melbourne festival screening and in front of the audience in the after screening Q&A the film maker said "I love seeing torture in movies !! " or something of equal specificity and meaning. So there you have it. Evidence that this sequence of torture scenarios were designed to be the focus in the footage Mr Kastrissios shot. Oh, there's a scant story of sentimental revenge added, floating almost invisibly away in the distance, but don't let that get in the way of the depravity and gore you love so much.

Here was a little known movie, I was only aware of, by seeing it's poster at the cinema, where the film had finished it's few showings. It enthralled me. I love vengeful pics, and this is one of those better ones you so want the good guy to take care of the bad guys. Part of the attraction was that this movie was very similar to 8MM, where here again, the good guy doesn't pull any punches, and goes all out in making the bad guys suffer and suffer they do. An exterminator is sent a videotape featuring his late teen daughter in a pornographic video/ snuff flick. So begins an investigation and vengeful quest to find those responsible, where the story takes off very quickly, no mucking around, and this family man, certainly doesn't in a thunderous performance. He picks a stray, a young rebellious teen girl, in a "take notice" performance, out performing the horseman. Like 8mm, we enter some dark territory, where they're moments, that will make us feel as though we've swallowed something down the wrong way. They're touchy, affecting moments, like the discern and remorselessness of how cheaply a young life can be taken away by these pervs and dirt bags, where you so want to see them endure, a much deserved torture. And when we hear in intimate and disrespectful detail, about how they interfered with his daughter and about her slaying, by the lead scumbag, where the hero is undermined, we so want blood and lots of it. And some of the bloody scenes are quite heavy stomached ones, realistically graphic, which revenge lovers will eat up. And too, this indie horror film was from Oz. To be brutally frank, here was a movie, like others that escape through he cracks, that should of got much more exposure on the cinema circuit as being a dark and disturbingly real film, a thrill ride with love to shock audiences. Highly recommended viewing folks.