Tormented (2009)

Directed by: Jon Wright | 88 minutes | horror, comedy | Actors: Alex Pettyfer, April Pearson, Calvin Dean, Dimitri Leonidas, Tuppence Middleton, Georgia King, Mary Nighy, Olly Alexander, James Floyd, Sophie Wu, Hugh Mitchell, Larissa Wilson, Ruby Bentall, Tom Hopper, Peter Amory

Bullying is something of all times, but in the age of modern mass technology it often takes on an extra dimension. Where ‘traditional’ bullying often stops outside the schoolyard, so-called cyberbullying can literally follow someone into the bedroom. For example, the open nature of the internet means that offensive pages with photos, videos or personal details of the victim can be posted online. The theme of bullying sometimes also plays an important role in films, with the most famous example of course being ‘Carrie’, an adaptation of the masterful novel by the world’s most widely read horror author Stephen King. In this dark tale, estranged and harassed teenage girl Carrie White takes devastating revenge on her sardonic tormentors.

In ‘Tormented’ an overweight and short-tempered boy is the target of ridicule. In particular, the school’s most popular clique unabashedly celebrates its nasty lusts on Darren Mullet. Until it all becomes too much for Darren and he ends his ruined life. But Darren, as befits a true horror fable, returns to unleash his wrath on the people who made his life hell. Bad news for the bullies, who now have to fear for their own miserable lives…’

Tormented’ is certainly not the film that will quickly conquer the heart of every viewer. It is above all a typical, not very subtle genre film, which brings what you can expect on the basis of the underlying story of a film of this type. Of course the film contains the necessary social criticism of bullying and the inadequate handling of this phenomenon by school boards, but the story is above all a modern adaptation of an old theme that runs like a red thread through human cultural history: retribution. And while it’s actually not quite appropriate, it remains difficult as a viewer not to greet Darren’s revenge with a humble, suppressed smile. The victims are so unsympathetic and superficial that even their bloody agony will shed few tears. In addition to more conventional execution methods such as chopping off heads or limbs, ‘Tormented’ shows that you can use pencils for purposes other than writing or drawing and that the human eye can rise quite a long way out of its socket without popping right out. The bloodshed doesn’t start until quite late, because the first part of the film is mainly a rough sketch of life at a British secondary school (complete with the usual altos, nerds and popular empty heads), supplemented with some ghost and scare moments. , which quietly works towards the final climax. The typically British humor works well at times and contributes to the unpretentious image of ‘Tormented’, but at other times lacks its effect. ‘Tormented’ is certainly not a film that will occupy a prominent place on future lists of the greatest horror classics in film history. Nor does the film add innovative elements to the tried-and-tested genre. But that is clearly not what the makers are aiming for. What remains is a nice, fairly unpretentious genre film for lovers of slasher horror with a big wink.