KNIFEPOINT (2011)

Streaming on Tubi!
Directed/Written by Jed Strahm
Check out the trailer here!

KNIFEPOINT is a diabolical indie nightmare about a home invasion gone twisted as a barbwire fence. The film is as dark as it comes, following a pair of women with issues of their own as they are tormented by a group of well-organized heathens on Christmas Eve as they make their way through an apartment complex killing and looting each apartment one by one. KNIFEPOINT definitely grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go, providing absolutely evil villains to root against, but as far as soul, this film is sorely lacking.

The hook to most of these home invasion films is the fact that you are supposed to care about those invaded. Very little time in KNIFEPOINT is dedicated to getting to know our damsels in distress, a pair of sisters–Michele (Krista Braun) and Abby (Katherine Randolph). All we know is that there is resentment between the two of them, one for being an invalid jealous of her sister’s working legs, the other resentful of having to take care of her invalid sister. In some ways, I can appreciate the filmmakers’ confidence that this complex relationship is conveyed in such little screen time, but I feel more attention to what motivates these two girls would have made me wince even more at the torment that befalls them.

The film wastes no time diving into the debauchery. In the opening minutes we see a team of surly individuals meticulously kill off everyone in the complex, leaving the sisters as their last victims. The action is quick and brutal, and I like the way the filmmakers hit the ground running and really never lets up until the closing credits. The brutality of the actions is definitely hard to swallow with rape, murder, and dismemberment not above this swarthy crew of miscreants. Lead by Jess (Grant Reynolds) and his equally twisted sister Lorraine (Kym Jackson), this crew is not to be trifled with–especially when former Leatherface R.A. Mihailoff is among them. Though Jess is organized, as with most evildoers, order is not really this team’s forte and the diabolical actions, especially the ones of the out of her mind Lorraine, end up screwing up this perfectly planned home invasion.

The performances are pretty great. Jess (Grant Reynolds) looks a little too much like Christian Bale here and seems to know it but is able to convey a sense of danger to his prey and frustration towards his cronies. Kym Jackson shines here as the truly bugnuts sister who is not above swiping the penis blade from SE7EN to rape her victims and seems to get off on having her face smeared with blood. The rest of the crew is equally despicable and play the part well, with Andy Mackenzie’s Rizzo having the most disgusting line of the film; a response to being spit on by one of the sisters is “Tastes like you have a sinus infection.” *Gag- Gak-Barf!*

I can’t help but sense a Walter Hill vibe here—DESPERATE HOURS meets Carpenter’s ASSAULT ON PRECINT 13 comes to mind. There’s definitely a grindhouse sense of morality going on that permeates this entire film from the stylized and inspired opening sequence to the final credits. I just wish I was given a chance to develop an investment in the victims, but as KNIFEPOINT plays out, it’s abundantly clear that the filmmakers’ fascination lay with the depraved action and even more depraved villains.