At The Movies: The Cost
This is a highly topical and controversial topic, given incidents over many years where a convicted criminal has been released early even after vicious crimes.
We see two ordinary men, family-man Aaron (Damon Hunter) and David (Jordan Fraser-Trumble), who abduct Troy (Kevin Dee) from his house in what is a careful and methodically planned event.
When they reach their destination at a remote, unused property in bushland, we discover the reason when a trussed-up Troy wakes up, stripped to his jeans. They start with his full name and that he was convicted for 32 years for the brutal rape and murder of Stephanie (Nicole Pastor), but was released after only 10 years. David reveals “I’m her husband” and Aaron “I’m her brother”.
They are intent on carrying out their own brutal justice for 4 hours – the amount of time that Stephanie suffered – then murder him. The pair have had 3 years since Troy’s release to carefully plan every detail so that Troy’s body, if ever discovered, couldn’t be traced back to them. I think it is prudent here, not to reveal too much of the movie but to include director Matthew Holmes’ Statement:
“The Cost was a way for me to explore humanity’s instinct – and in particular the male instinct – to repay violence with more violence. In so many ways, The Cost is very much a response to the unforgivable violence toward women that continues to permeate our society, but focuses on the male response toward this violence, from those men affected by it to those men who carry it out. Moreover, The Cost asks the age-old question – what is real justice? Is vigilantism ever justified? Where is the moral line, and what happens to someone when they cross that line?
In Hollywood movies, revenge is often depicted as a positive or a cathartic act; I wanted to make a film that explored the emotional and mental consequences of vigilante justice and vengeance, one that will have the audience challenging their own stance on the morality of this issue long after the credits roll.”
Personally, I have always been adamant that if anyone ever did anything so brutal to my wife or daughter, just let me have them for a few hours to give “true justice”. We probably never consider The Cost to our own long-term mental well-being and sanity! This film really covers that extremely well and has me re-thinking my beliefs, and is a must-see if you have similar attitudes.
It is also ironic that Damon (Aaron) was a Victorian police officer for 22 years, the last 12 of which were spent as a Prosecutor before leaving to become a barrister whilst filming The Cost. Now, Damon is defending people like Troy in court when he’s not acting. I wonder what impact making this movie had on him!!
Movie Review By John Glennie
Showing at Wallis Cinema, Mitcham for ONE NIGHT ONLY on 14th October @ 7:00pm
Then available on DVD, Blu-ray and to rent on Digital/SVOD Platforms (Released through Madman Entertainment)
