[yasr_overall_rating]
A trip to the store turns into a surreal nightmare when a college student is kidnapped by a deranged, dysfunctional family. As a determined detective conducts a frantic search, Audra realizes the only way to survive is to escape. But even if she could get away, almost two hundred miles of desert lies between her and help.
There is a scene in Sam Peckinpah’s “The Wild Bunch” where a group of school children watch as a scorpion is hopelessly devoured by ants. “Betrothed” is a similarly cruel film but with less directorial flair than “The Wild Bunch.”
“Betrothed” was directed by Jim Lane, whose only previous IMDB credit was 2014’s “Deadly Famous,” another horror film about an aging actor who engages in serial killing.
The script was written by Jeff Rosenberg, who has three head staff writer credits for the TV show, “Love, Period.” That show revolves around the fictional tales a of a matchmaking company. You would not expect the write of such a fluffy, rom-com piece to be the bard of the sadistic “Betrothed”, but he is.
I know. You’re probably asking what does the film have to offer? Here’s what “Betrothed” delivers:
- 1 drugged and raped woman
- 1 undone top
- 1 finger removal due to pliers
- 1 knife in the chest
- 1 man licking blood off a knife
- 1 case of potentia lincest
- 1 arm chopped off with a machete
- 1 chainsaw dismemberment
- 1 scalding hot coffee in the lap scene
- 1 frying pan attack
- 1 house of hanging body parts
- 1 leg beaten with a pipe
“Betrothed” begins with car trouble. Jamie B. Cline (Adam Cooper) captures the woman with the broken car. Jamie wants to marry this drugged up, wounded woman. He has an equally disturbing brother, Nate Cooper (Adam Dunnells). Jamie and Nate are ruled by Ginnie Cooper (Bunny Gibson), the matriarch of the family.
The story then cuts, abruptly and randomly, to Audra West (Mikayla Gibson). Aura is one of those girls with a remarkably advanced body for such a young age so men like grocery clerks pay attention to her. Audra is also abducted by Jamie and Nate. Audra wakes up bound and shackled.
I saw similarities between two stories and “Betrothed”: (1) “The Sylvia Likens Story,” mostly in the scene in which a branding iron is cast onto Aura for being a “whore,” and (2) “Last House on the Left,” particularly the tongue-less character in both films.
Audra befriends Ethan (Joey Bell), who has nowhere to go, no family, and no friends. Joey makes human excrement in a bucket and is sometimes provided with food. Ethan was captured and forced to endure such barbaricness simply because he is gay.
The good guys comes out triumphant at the end of the film. But the victories are shallow ones. One of the bad guys is smacked in the face with a frying pan. Ethan and Aura make a run from the bad guys.
“Betrothed” is deeply conflicted in its tone. Despite moments of great suffering, the film has small glimpses of joy in which a tortured protagonist stops to reflect: “Mom wasn’t kidding when she said I’d hate my in-laws.” I had a hard time viewing this film as a “revenge” film because there is so little revenge for such great suffering. So would I recommend watching “Betrothed?” No, I wouldn’t. There are other films that have covered the exact same territory. To add, many of the acting performances are delivered by performers who are noticeably not star talent.
“Betrothed” will be released on VOD in July
