On DVD and Blu Ray - "Big Bad Wolves" (2013) - This taut, lean *Israeli thriller was Quentin Tarantino's pick for best film of 2013 and would be my favorite foreign film of 2013. It's a dark and brooding Hitchcockian tale (with some sequences reminiscent of De Palma's finer work) concerning the ramifications of committing oneself to a cause without being dead certain of all the angles involved in a situation.
A series of brutal murders, all involving young girls as victims, sends three desperate men (one of whom just may be the embodiment of pure evil) towards a very dark place- the cop (Lior Ashkenazi) whose extreme tactics costs him his job yet who continues to pursue matters to clear his name, the prime suspect (Rotem Keinan) released as the result of a police blunder (who may or may not be innocent) and the father (Tzahi Grad) of the most recent victim determined to find closure at any cost.
This is exceptionally written and directed material, as sure-handed and as deliberately paced as any thriller you'll ever see, complete with outstanding cinematography and several highly effective stabs at gallows-style humor. There are essentially only four major players here, with the acting top notch from all four individuals. I hadn't seen any of them in a film before this, though couldn't discern a legitimate reason why.
The narrative reeled me in quickly and had me involved until the final reel. Potential viewers should be forewarned- there are a few graphic scenes of torture, with one particular sequence involving a blow-torch that will undoubtedly leave most grimacing. The poster for Big Bad Wolves promises "A Grim Fairy Tale" and I'd say that's an accurate description- a sucker punch of an ending will stick with you for quite some time.
Highly Recommended
*Subtitle Alert
9.0 out of 10
Director: Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado
Cast: Lior Ashkenazi, Rotem Keinan, Tzahi Grad and Doval'e Glickman
Run-Time: 110 minutes
MPAA: Unrated, though it's the equivalent of an R for violence, gore, torture and profanity
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