Mum & Dad (2008)

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Birdie takes her new friend, Lena (Angel), home to meet Mum and Dad. Within minutes of entering the house, Birdie and her brother, Elbie, disappear, and Lena gets bashed over the head with a hammer. Upon waking up, she hears screams, and sees Dad entering the room with a bloody hammer in his hand. Out of another door emerges Mum, who shrieks warnings not to piss Dad off. Lena is tied up, drugged so she cannot scream, and tortured (her stomach pierced with what appears to be a knitting needle), while Elbie watches through a peep hole and jerks off in excitement. But, like father, like son, as we soon see Dad getting off by screwing someone’s inards (a liver?).

Lena's situation doesn’t get any better, and after several foiled escape attempts, we find out that Birdie and Elbie aren’t just victims of their psychotic parents, but are their puppets and henchmen. Birdie gets jealous over the attention Lena gets, and does what she can to get her in trouble, but Elbie has a little more compassion and helps Lena out. While exploring the house, Lena sees two more victims, and is able to get ahold of a tool, which looks like a screwdriver, but could be a circular file. But, does the object at hand really matter when your whole intent is revenge and escape? Naw, almost anything can become a weapon of destruction.

It’s apparent that the writer/director wanted to push the envelope, but the “Christmas” scene is somewhat absurd. There’s a guy crucified to the wall, obviously in resemblance to Jesus, but also like the totem-piece of the season, a Christmas tree. The kids get presents, knives and porno mags, and Angel gets a new dress for the big event. Angel’s feistiness gets her locked back up, and when Dad comes down to have his way with her (Mum's present to him), he gets stabbed in the back of the neck (amongst other places), and Mum and Birdie are soon to follow. The final scene is one of triumph over evil, where Lena finishes off Mum and Dad, and then screams in despair/relief, as we’ve seen many times before. What immediately came to mind was Marilyn Burns in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, although not as elequently done.

This film is somewhat reminiscent of The Girl Next Door, but not the one with scantly clad Elisha Cuthbert. But, the torture and degradation of young women for the pleasure of demented folks isn’t a new concept. If anything, it’s become the norm in horror over the past few years: Hostel, Live Feed, Martyrs, Stash, Great American Snuff Film, and the list goes on and on. Thinking back, though, two movies really stand out: 8MM and the notorious Salo: 120 Days of Sodom. Dealing with similar, yet different subject matter, imagery from these movies have been embedded in my cranium forever.

If you like these kind of movies, then give Mum & Dad a run. Perry Bensen nails the part of Dad, and even though the story seemed a little rushed, I'm sure it’ll keep your attention. If you haven’t seen the others mentioned above, excluding Stash and Great American Snuff Film, which are just crap, skip renting, and go buy them to add to your collection. My next movie venture in this subject matter will be Bill Zebub’s Breaking Her Will, which he assures me is “disturbing…and ultra niche.” Yeah, although my curiosity got the best of me and I bought it (mainly because he wouldn’t send a screener), I won’t hold my breath that it’s anything great or earth shattering. So, go get the others, and enjoy a weekend of torture and dismay.

ACTING --4-- HUMOR --1-- BLOOD/GORE --3-- NUDITY --1-- TORTURE-RIFIC --3-- CREATIVITY --3--

OVERALL RATING --3--