Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Combat Shock; here's the breakdown of my ratings:
Story: 1.75 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.50 Acting: 1.00 Enjoyment: 1.50
TOTAL: 7.25 out of 10.00.
If you're a David Lynch fan and can relatively understand the stories he films, you should like and have no trouble with Combat Shock. However, if your bag is a more realistic movie, you may have issues with the abstract imagery and storyline. Me, I loved it. It didn't hurt that the writer and director Buddy Giovinazzo is more of your working man's Lynch.
Giovinazzo brings us the dark tale of Frankie Dunlan, an ex-marine who's returned from Vietnam. Life's not been easy for Frankie. Born on the rich side of the tracks, he slid into degradation by having a child with a woman his family shunned. He entered manhood in 'Nam after witnessing the atrocities both sides committed, which brought a scarred and broken man home to his wife and their forever-crying baby and the damp ramshackle hovel they call home. And when you have a family, you do your best and whatever you can to survive. And now his family is being evicted, and Dunlan has one day to resolve his problem. What will he do?
The story is jarring and thought-provoking as Giovinazzo attempts to display the complete breakdown of Frankie Dunlan's life. And mostly, he does a brilliant job. The flashbacks help to build an image of what Dunlan suffered and survived. You wonder if Dunlan's continued existence was a good thing, particularly with the loathsome, but all too predictable, bloody climax. Giovinazzo also offers a few abstractions to the norm. The principal one is the Dunlan's babe: The newborn is deformed and looks unrealistic. Is it? Could all of this be a nightmare in Frankie's mind? Some of his flashbacks hint at the possibility. These slight phantasies promote the idea of Dunlan's mental state. Is it real...or is it Memorex?
One of the best elements of this movie is Giovinazzo's accompanying gritty filming style. It adds more power to the story's punch. I love how he opens up with a beautiful countryside shot, complete with light leaks and lens flare. But when Frankie awakens from this dream of remembered warfare, we see the dirty room. Both he and his wife appear not to have washed in quite a few days, and their clothes bear many a dark stain. This foulness is inner-city poverty at its appalling best. And when we go outside, the streets are littered with rubbish, shop windows are smashed and boarded, graffiti tags adorn every free space, and the homeless, prostitutes, dealers, and users walk, stand, and slouch on the pavements. Realism lends weight to the story unfolding before the viewer. With all this on offer, the director didn't have to do much to set his scenes. However, he utilises them perfectly. The end chase scene that sees Frankie pursued by the local crime boss is wonderfully constructed. He throws in some engaging camera angles and scene compositions to add to the segments' interest. And when he wants to display Frankie's breakdown, he employs quick cuts between cameras, uses movie clip projections on Dunlan's face, and emphasises auditory ticks, such as the dripping kitchen tap - and they work a treat.
But most surprising is the acting. For an indie flick from the eighties, it's not too bad. The lead performer, Rick Giovinazzo, gives a credible and powerful performance as the broken Frankie Dunlan. I especially liked Veronica Stork as his wife, Cathy. She emanates a realness which works superbly to embed the story with more realism.
I'd readily recommend Combat Shock for at least one viewing. But, it's not for everyone as it's not your average common-all-garden Dark Thriller. If you like art-house, grind-house, or you're looking for something different, then you could do worse than spend some time watching this flick.
I can't take it anymore. I JUST CAN'T! But before I bring the curtain down, take a look at my IMDb lists - Absolute Horror, Obsidian Dreams and Killer Thriller Chillers to see where I ranked Combat Shock.
Take Care & Stay Well.
Story: 1.75 Direction: 1.50 Pace: 1.50 Acting: 1.00 Enjoyment: 1.50
TOTAL: 7.25 out of 10.00.
If you're a David Lynch fan and can relatively understand the stories he films, you should like and have no trouble with Combat Shock. However, if your bag is a more realistic movie, you may have issues with the abstract imagery and storyline. Me, I loved it. It didn't hurt that the writer and director Buddy Giovinazzo is more of your working man's Lynch.
Giovinazzo brings us the dark tale of Frankie Dunlan, an ex-marine who's returned from Vietnam. Life's not been easy for Frankie. Born on the rich side of the tracks, he slid into degradation by having a child with a woman his family shunned. He entered manhood in 'Nam after witnessing the atrocities both sides committed, which brought a scarred and broken man home to his wife and their forever-crying baby and the damp ramshackle hovel they call home. And when you have a family, you do your best and whatever you can to survive. And now his family is being evicted, and Dunlan has one day to resolve his problem. What will he do?
The story is jarring and thought-provoking as Giovinazzo attempts to display the complete breakdown of Frankie Dunlan's life. And mostly, he does a brilliant job. The flashbacks help to build an image of what Dunlan suffered and survived. You wonder if Dunlan's continued existence was a good thing, particularly with the loathsome, but all too predictable, bloody climax. Giovinazzo also offers a few abstractions to the norm. The principal one is the Dunlan's babe: The newborn is deformed and looks unrealistic. Is it? Could all of this be a nightmare in Frankie's mind? Some of his flashbacks hint at the possibility. These slight phantasies promote the idea of Dunlan's mental state. Is it real...or is it Memorex?
One of the best elements of this movie is Giovinazzo's accompanying gritty filming style. It adds more power to the story's punch. I love how he opens up with a beautiful countryside shot, complete with light leaks and lens flare. But when Frankie awakens from this dream of remembered warfare, we see the dirty room. Both he and his wife appear not to have washed in quite a few days, and their clothes bear many a dark stain. This foulness is inner-city poverty at its appalling best. And when we go outside, the streets are littered with rubbish, shop windows are smashed and boarded, graffiti tags adorn every free space, and the homeless, prostitutes, dealers, and users walk, stand, and slouch on the pavements. Realism lends weight to the story unfolding before the viewer. With all this on offer, the director didn't have to do much to set his scenes. However, he utilises them perfectly. The end chase scene that sees Frankie pursued by the local crime boss is wonderfully constructed. He throws in some engaging camera angles and scene compositions to add to the segments' interest. And when he wants to display Frankie's breakdown, he employs quick cuts between cameras, uses movie clip projections on Dunlan's face, and emphasises auditory ticks, such as the dripping kitchen tap - and they work a treat.
But most surprising is the acting. For an indie flick from the eighties, it's not too bad. The lead performer, Rick Giovinazzo, gives a credible and powerful performance as the broken Frankie Dunlan. I especially liked Veronica Stork as his wife, Cathy. She emanates a realness which works superbly to embed the story with more realism.
I'd readily recommend Combat Shock for at least one viewing. But, it's not for everyone as it's not your average common-all-garden Dark Thriller. If you like art-house, grind-house, or you're looking for something different, then you could do worse than spend some time watching this flick.
I can't take it anymore. I JUST CAN'T! But before I bring the curtain down, take a look at my IMDb lists - Absolute Horror, Obsidian Dreams and Killer Thriller Chillers to see where I ranked Combat Shock.
Take Care & Stay Well.