Chained (2012)

Bob (Vincent D'Onofrio aka "Gomer Pyle" from "Full Metal Jacket) is a cab driver who has bad dreams about his past. To compensate his hobbies include kidnapping, rape, and killing young women. One of the women he has killed has a son who he maintains as a slave, hence the title. Needless to say, Tim (Eamon Farren) grows up rather abnormally.Unlike other rape/slasher films this one isn't after cheap thrills and effects. Instead it concentrates on the unusual relationship between Bob and Tim, that of captor and captive who develops a slight case of Stockholm Syndrome.The film trudges along and then at the end Jennifer Lynch reveals her genius with a surprise ending that well, frankly should not have been a surprise. It is a film that leaves you feeling weird. The film continues with sound through the final credits.Parental guide: F-bombs, no intense sex/rape scenes, or nudity. Male torso nudity. Blood and gore is less graphic than most films of this genre.

This was an excellent movie to watch in that it showed us that we need to be careful who to trust. As an individual who is in the process of publishing her first screenplay, the storyline here gave me ideas on how I can show my audience on how characters behave when it comes to situations like those presented in this movie. For example, (warning, spoiler coming up!) towards the beginning of the movie (shortly after it said "Eight Weeks Earlier"), Jennifer Lynch illustrated right away to me that something was fishy with Rabbit's dad. The idea of taking a cab rather than taking the bus is fishy to me because Rabbit and his mom are alone in a cab with a driver that they don't even know, and to me, that is risky. In a bus, the two characters would be safer since there are a lot of people with them, lowering the risk for dangers like kidnapping. I also mentioned in the title of this review that the movie started to become too slow towards the middle. In my opinion, I think that there should have been more scenes showing Rabbit trying to escape from captivity throughout the years instead of jumping from when Rabbit was eight years old to when he is about 18 years old. Other than that, great movie and excellent storyline.

Anchor Bay has produced some top horrors over the past few years but Chained is very underrated, The plot isn't anything to scream over but its executed well. Most reviews compare it to Bereavement but this deserves recognition in its own right.We see Bob a serial killer taxi driver who prays on women. One day whilst working he picks up a women and her young son Tim. Obviously the woman gets killed but he keeps Tim.Over a period of 10 years we see Tim whose now named Rabbit grown from a small child to adolescent whilst Bob still brings home women to kill. Rabbit is chained to a wall (hence the title) but Bob educates him with books so he becomes clever.Flashbacks throughout the movie show Bobs shocking past, being abused by his dad and brother whilst graphically being forced to have sex with his mother The final half hour is where things start to pick up. Bob now wants to take Rabbit out 'hunting' Rabbit picks out a pretty girl called Angie but he starts to fall for this girl and is traumatised when he is forced to kill her. Unbeknown to them she didn't die and is ready to attack and with the help of Rabbit the over power Bob...But its the ending that is surprising and also unexpected the twist will shock you..With gore and suspense in the right places and a decent plot its un missable for horror and non horror fans alike

I found this film darkly interesting and disturbing in equal measures. You grow bored of films that use copious amounts of blood, violence and nudity to pad out weak plot lines and characters, to satisfy a certain type of person (I note a few people have commented on the lack of these things in previous reviews). There are tons of films that show the more depraved side of human nature in great and stomach turning detail, this is a different type of film that is more for the mind than the visual stimulation. It was well acted, and convincing by the two leads. I thought it was a better than average film. I liked the twist at the end, especially I think because it shows there are different ways to be a monster/evil. I liked the interaction between the two leads, and was interested to watch what would happen to Rabbit and how he would turn out - would he be corrupted, or would he prevail... Some say it was slow but I liked the pace of the film and don't feel every film needs to be at breakneck speed to keep your attention. I also like films that leave things for you to work out or come to your own conclusion about and not have tidy endings, and this one certainly does that.I think it is a good film for those people who aren't offended by the subject matter but don't need boobs and blood to make their horror real, and are more chilled by implied suggestion and like a more psychological based thriller.Random Irritations:1. The link to child abuse and bad people. Some people are just bad without abuse. Some people are abused and do not turn out bad. I think the flashbacks were unnecessary and almost a way of trying 'excuse' Bob's behaviour - he can't help it he was abused himself rationale. I just think this is a weak and lazy plot device.2. It's quite clear that this is not going to be a heartwarming Disney film from the title and the strap lines, and yet people who are easily offended still continue to watch it and then write reviews expressing shock and horror about the subject matter. a) bad things happen in real life, mankind has a great capacity for cruelty and violence - it being portrayed in a film does not change that fact. b) DON'T WATCH THESE TYPE OF FILMS....3. People who seem to think character's behaviours are irrational or unrealistic based on the fact that they would not behave in that way... yes I'm speaking to you people who query about Rabbit not trying to escape and the girl trying to offer herself to him. It's easy to think this is what you would do in the luxury of your armchair and not in a fearful and perilous situation, but until you've experienced abject fear and been in a life threatening situation, I think no-one can really say what they would do or not do, as we all cope in different ways to survive extreme situations, and often its' very different to the way we think we would handle things...