The Price We Pay

This is not a “good” movie. It’s predictable as all hell, basic as all hell, and acted to a level of “just good enough”. Emile Hirsch is woefully miscast as a guy who looks like an IT guy from Meta, but acts like Mickey Knox from Natural Born Killers, but it is fun seeing him get his. And Stephen Dorff plays Stephen Dorff, as he almost always has. But it’s a movie that just keeps swinging and keeps trying and keeps upping the ante. Once the horror elements kick in, this movie goes wild its visuals and effects. This is a seriously gory movie, way more than you’d think, and a lot of it looks practical too, which is always a plus. All the action and horror is staged and shot well, and while it isn’t scary, there’s a few scenes that made this old gore hound wince. I liked that the script hints at backstory for the characters but never reveals more than it needs to. Who is the boss these criminals are reporting to? What happens if they don’t deliver the money? Why is our protagonist in such a dire place in life? They never answer it, because it doesn’t need to be answered. It gives the world a lived-in feel. This movie is a quick roller coaster. Not meant to change your life, but a simple thrill ride. Some of the kills are preposterous, but they’re all pretty inventive, the villains are creepy and sinister, and you can easily root for the final girl. Sometimes, simple is best, and this movie understands that.