Hard Candy

I'm trying, more and more, to avoid reading feature articles about and reviews of movies before seeing them. I want my interest in a film to be sparked by its promotional campaign–trailers in the theatre or ads on the Web–rather than others' opinions. I then want to test my ultimate reaction against those first impressions. In Hard Candy's case, I was drawn in by ads on Nerve and Gothamist, I think, a brief tour of its Web site, and a screening of its trailer. I could easily dismiss the movie as another in a recent series of stylish indie thrillers and horror films (Saw and One Hour Photo come to mind). It has a clean, hard-edged look, vivid colors (I noted a "digital colorist" in the credits) and features several cringe-inducing set pieces and surprising plot twists. The film lingers in my mind, though, and prompts these reflections two days later (I'm intentionally trying to avoid posting spoilers):

• director David Slade leaves a great deal to your imagination. You fill in certain blanks based on your own experience and fantasies. This makes the film, I feel, a sort of Rorschach test of your reaction to provocative material. This approach contrasts with that taken by Takashi Miike, who forces you to take in every exruciating, bloody detail in the similarly revenge-themed Odishon.
• the film is distinguished by the performances of its leads. Ellen Page is disconcerting in her ability to shift quickly from being a tremulous, doe-eyed schoolgirl to a woman dominating a situation (Hard Candy continues the tradition of associating women in tank tops with strength…think Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor and Michelle Rodriguez's Ana-Lucia Cortez). Patrick Wilson, whose characters often seem so "smooth", powerfully conveys raw, unrestrained desperation when facing retribution here.
• the release of the film is tied to a public service campaign promoting safe Web surfing. This seems disingenuous, though, as the movie celebrates a vigilante (I'm reminded of Charles Bronson's Paul Kersey).

I wonder how your reactions to the film differ from mine, based on your age and gender…. Technorati tags: movies, films, Hard Candy