DVD Adam Chaplin

3 Star

Billed as the “most bloody movie ever,” Adam Chaplin is sure to attract a certain kind of audience. While its claims of gory grandeur are bold, this is actually a small-time, independent project. Here is where big ambition meets European indie horror. And you are dared to watch.

"While fans of splatter horror and revenge films will no doubt love this, others may struggle with it."

Whether Adam Chaplin is a hero or not is your decision. Just to look at him though is to acknowledge that he doesn’t really care for your opinion. All he cares about is one thing: vengeance. The reason? His wife has been horrifically murdered by a man named Denny, the head of a crime syndicate exerting control in a place called Heaven Valley.

Guided by a demon that lives inside his shoulder, Adam begins a bloody rampage that will not stop until he finds peace…

Despite being laced with several plot devices, there is no denying the crude simplicity of this film’s narrative; it is, unequivocally, a revenge movie. The almost primitive story on show, however, is not really an obstacle for its audience; rather, it is a mere vehicle in which to carry a film that has a insatiable craving for violence. And as violence – coming in the form of unreal, crushing barbarism – is what the film specialises in, the weaknesses of the plot aren’t all that noticeable. To claim, though, that Adam Chaplin has nothing to distinguish it besides the immense quantities of bloodshed would be slightly unfair because it does have unique qualities. The costume and make-up used is fascinating; vivid and twisted designs that make palpable De Santi’s demonic, unsavoury characters. This blends in stylishly with the murky sets, coated in low-key lighting and framed in a blue hue that stains every shot. Consequently, the film succeeds in generating an unpleasant aesthetic and atmosphere against which these characters can pursue their bloody retribution.

De Santi’s film is wrapped in an aura of peculiarity.

Besides the fact that Adam Chaplin is, primarily, a film of and about pure brute force, causing some to speak of its grindhouse nature, De Santi’s film is wrapped in an aura of peculiarity. With the film’s general structure being one violent scene after another, it could be said that the alien tone devised in these scenes is maybe an attempt to dress the film in more cerebral clothing than the content would warrant. If viewed, though, as the representation of an odd, dark, futuristic society in which a man with certain powers avenges his loved one, the film’s obscure tone will be much more palatable.

In keeping with this tone are the scenes depicting Chaplin with his late wife, imbued as they are with an unusual melodrama. Again, this may seem pretentious to some, and incidental to the film as a whole, but it does add a level of character to the film that also helps to enhance its aesthetic and atmospheric facets. On reflection, one would not assert that the filmmaker utilises this to fashion a rounded character analysis, yet it does indicate a level of individuality separate from its genre/sub-genre hallmarks and expected macho impulses.

Alternatively, one could assess this movie as a horror piece, infused with sci-fi and traces of film noir. In this way, Adam Chaplin succeeds in being visually grotesque, painting its intentions on the screen in blood and other cheap thrills. Despite the energy of this approach, Adam Chaplin fails to provoke any fright or shock from its audience. This is presumably not a problem for the filmmaker, as much of the film cannot be received without any real gravitas, and can only be accepted for exhibitionism. The consequence of this is that, unless one is well-acquainted with films comparable with it in the broader sense, it will be a slightly hollow viewing experience, when it is not stultifying and mirth-inducing, sometimes unintentionally so. Also of note is the fact that, however one chooses to view Adam Chaplin, it can be a difficult film to watch due to its pacing; the rhythm of the film is awkward and uneven, limiting its impact in several places.

While fans of splatter horror and revenge films will no doubt love this, others may struggle with it. Although it is true Adam Chaplin does have its flaws, the artifice on display will ensure that no-one becomes bored watching this movie.