Violently raped and left for dead, Julia Shames should have never survived her night through hell. But she did. Now, in an effort to cleanse her mind and regain a sense of self worth, she has enlisted the help of a therapist whose unorthodox form of therapy will challenge her morals, her comfort levels and her willingness to do as she is told.
Embracing its genre roots to the very core, Matthew A. Brown has crafted a stylistic take on the female rape-revenge formula. And though the story stays close to home, refusing to venture too far outside of the expected, Brown excels as he tells the story from the victim's perspective, relying on actions instead of words and crafting a unique visual experience, even if it does appear to be holding back from a storyteller's perspective.
Anchored by a strong performance from Ashley C. Williams, Julia is able to bring you into its world, taking you on a wild and gory ride as a doctor's assistant seeks to right a wrong. The slow, deliberate progression of the story forces you to squirm in your seat, unsure of what is to come next and never fully comfortable with anyone who comes into contact with our lead protagonist. It is this uneasiness that gives the film its grit. (That and a no-holds-bar castration that should make any male watching clinch his legs and bite his tongue in sympathetic pain.)
But for all that the film does right, it must be noted that it isn't flawless. Handicapped by its rather generic story points, Brown keeps things within the genre's age old formula, refusing to, from a progression standpoint, venture too far outside of the norm. The characters aren't too complex, and the twists are never hidden as Julia attempts to cope with her experience and seek revenge upon those who harmed her.
That being said, Brown is able to use his keen eye and sense of timing to give the film an eerie feeling of uncertainty. Combine that with a solid soundtrack, and Julia becomes a haunting experience that is hard to put into words.
The film does come to a conclusion quickly, and many will be thankful for their ability to escape Julia's brutal, violent and gory rampage. But for those who had entered the world of the scored victim, there will be many questions left unanswered. Regardless, Brown's feature film debut is a success, focusing in on his expressive nature and knack for unearthing an intense narrative.
