Behind the Cross
Director: Tomi Kerminen
2012
Horror/Art-House/Short
The plot
or storyline are really too hard to put down in words so I won’t even try to capture
it in a few sentences. Instead I’ll incorporate as much as I can in the text
below. I don’t think there’s one straight storyline that’s told here though and
I think the viewer brings lots of him- or herself into it. If you really want
this to be about a straight forward serial killer I guess it could be. On the
other hand you can probably interpret some childhood issues into it (as I did)
and most definite there’s religious aspects here. That’s probably the hardest
bit to comprehend for a straight forward viewer – religion and violence. For
someone like me (and probably most of those who’ll read this, who have seen
countless violent and controversial flicks, it’s not a big deal. I rather like
when the two subjects are connected with each other like in an oxymoron. What’s
really going on behind the cross?
These
days there’s been so many shocking news about the Catholic Church, pedophilia
and stuff that there’s really a need for something like this to come and
question it all. I guess this film takes it a bit further than a mainstream
film would do but I say it’s necessary! I don’t think it necessarily had to be
so hard to understand but on the other hand, flicks that don’t give you an easy
answer right away are almost always preferable over those who do!
The
technical aspects here are very good! During the opening and closing sequences
it’s almost like a music video being played. It does not hurt to be a fan of
brutal metal either I guess. There aren’t so much of the in the movies though,
which is more art-house and experimental. I love the concept! The only downside
of it for me was the acting which doesn’t hold up to the high standards of the “behind
the camera” stuff. I realize that it’s must be hard to write, direct, produce
and act in the movie of course. You just can’t be as talented in all areas;
sometimes it might be better to choose what your best at! But on the other
hand, most of the small parts – girls in captivity and stuff like that, are
really good and convincing!
I don’t know
what to tell you more. I found it quite good as a whole and I’d gladly
recommend it to anyone who can take the religion/violence combination. And as
an extra teaser I’ll give one scene away (sort of). You have to be pretty
desperate to jerk off during grabbing a mannequin’s breasts…
8/10
