Dariuss

Sticks to the brain and stays there.

Guerrilla Metropolitana's latest film, "Dariuss" is an uncompromising, arthouse movie. It sticks to the brain and stays there. The structure and editing is unconventional and creative. Several moments are disturbing and difficult to watch (especially in the second half). However, the amount of risks "Dariuss" takes is encouraging. Not recommended if you havent got the stomach for it or are trying to eat, and may induce nightmares. Those warnings aside, it stands out as a truly independent vision. Rest assured, no corporate overlords were present to water down this one.

Dariuss is completely unique, it's like no other film I've seen. It definitely isn't a 'popcorn horror' I would consider this Arthouse horror. This film tells a story about bereavement & the affects it has on a family.

The cinematography is absolutely stunning. There is no dialogue & very few props, the sounds & visuals tell the story. This film is a psychedelic trip & it blows your mind. The storytelling was played out perfectly & at times I felt like I was entering the mind of a mad man.

This film crosses boundaries & wasn't made to be a typical mainstream horror. Some of the scenes were pretty brutal & were shot in a way that you almost felt like you were in the room watching. This is dark twisted, erotic, mind blowing film but beautiful at the same time.

This is a Journey to a place that you've never been before a very avant-garde experimental film, that is very much its own thing- in experience is trauma like I've never seen depicted before through odd camera, angles, and photography. Unlike anything I've ever seen. This is a very brutal, realistic, experimental film. It's art. It will be subjective, and definitely up to interpretation from whatever perspective you choose-but if you allow the experience to tap into anything that you've ever experienced traumatic, I think it will deeply resonate with a lot of people-this is swing for the fences type filmmaking.

The intriguing independent horror art film Darrius by Gaurilla Metrolpolitania a London based Italian producer/director, is a uniquely dark arthouse film that frames the twists and turns of the human psyche when dealing with tragedy. It confronts uncomfortable concepts that for some reason you cannot stop watching and will rewatch just to put together the puzzle that you alone as the viewer can The approach and execution of its story is unlike anything done before in cinema. The use of sound and paceing are as much characters as the images that you can never unsee. It is dark art in film, it is an experience.

The film opens with an evocative nod to the atmosphere of early silent cinema, quickly transitioning into the video art aesthetics of the 1970s. It then seamlessly evolves into an epilogue that embraces a more experimental, psychedelic style, infused with an unmistakably urban edge.

Though the images appear self-contained, they gradually reveal their interconnectedness, culminating in a moment of clarity in the final scenes of this medium-length film. Directed and written by Guerilla Metropolitana, a young Italian artist now thriving in the vibrant chaos of London.

Two worlds that meet where the constraints of respectability are cast aside in favour of a liberating space that celebrates experimentation and excess.

"Dariuss" isn't a film in the conventional sense but rather a visual and sensory experiment that pushes the limits of extremity with a deliberately refined and provocative style.

Sexuality is given a twisted significance, becoming a mechanism of self-defence and solace for pain, explored in such an explicit and distorted way that it provokes a deep sense of disgust and discomfort in the viewer. There's nothing more unsettling than seeking comfort through the most hedonistic act, what some might call 'exquisite pain'. Sex intertwined with death, blood, and suffering-visceral and raw.

This work is far from easy to digest. Its non-linear plot and harsh, bizarre aesthetic might alienate fans of more traditional horror. However, for those willing to immerse themselves in the dark, unconventional world crafted by Guerilla Metropolitana, the experience is sure to be unforgettable.

"Dariuss" defies the conventions and respectability of contemporary cinema, harking back to its origins by restoring the lost power of images, allowing them to speak for themselves. It pulls the viewer into an unrelenting journey where the gaze remains fixed on the screen while the mind drifts into its darkest, most visionary depths, conjuring impure thoughts and evoking a mix of horror and exhilaration.

Cinematic tradition dissolves, making way for the unrestrained creativity of a young director who masterfully blends colour, distorted visuals, sound, and music to craft an unsettling atmosphere. This is a world you want to escape from, yet it mesmerizes, trapping your mind in a hypnotic trance as the narrative struggles to take form.

The film's themes and interpretations are left to the viewer's imagination, yet one clear thread emerges: an exploration of the human mind's descent into madness as it grapples with the grief of losing a loved one. Deception, disillusionment, and the erosion of sanity lead the psyche down its most extreme path - towards the brink of illness.