The Bunny Game (2010, Adam Rehmeier)

Finally checked out "The Bunny Game" after getting word from a few reliable sources that it would be right up my alley and I'm happy to report that they were right. This is one depraved and nihilistic little film with some truly unapologetic misogyny and mean spiritedness...

It begins by establishing the dismal and debasing routine of a coke-head prostitute who is consistently brutalized and robbed by her degenerate 'johns'. She is eventually picked up by a capricious trucker who fondles her a little bit before throwing a Chloroform rag over her face and chaining her up in the trailer of his semi. He parks his big-rig in the desert and subjects her to sadistic torture rituals for several days. One thing the dude is really 'into' is putting a leash on her and yanking her around by the neck outside... He also likes licking and suffocating women (and himself) with plastic bags. The title of the film pertains to a "game" the guy likes to play where he puts a rabbit mask on chicks and a leather, gimpy pig mask on himself and then chases 'em around...

I must mention, first off, that "The Bunny Game" isn't the be-all-end-all of "extreme" cinema. Still, it's a rough and fairly uncomfortable movie simply for the dark and intransigent realism you get with this one. The tone and general composition of the film switches from rapid and chaotic-style editing to slower, more drawn out scenes and this really works well, I thought. The contrast of calm to hectic somehow made a pretty one-note premise, such as this, much more 'gripping' than you'd figure. The trucker character is AWESOME. Definitely a nasty and deplorable person who is old, uncharismatic, not witty or smooth-talking - just a fucking perverted, woman-hating scumbag. You don't doubt for a second that this guy is a REAL fucking serial killer, which I really loved. And speaking of realism, all of the violence and cruelty - though not all that gory or particularly "jaw-dropping" in terms Hollywood horror standards - comes across exceptionally genuine, again, because of the trucker and the fact that the hooker (as well as some other women shown in flashbacks) really looked like she was getting roughed up at times. Kudos! And the ending leaves ya with a few questions... Plus, there's a decent black/death metal soundtrack.

Hell, I really dug "The Bunny Game". I would certainly recommend it to the more "hardcore" film fans. Casual film-goers are advised to steer clear since it IS pretty fucking harsh.