Constantlyonthehuntandsufferingfromhallucinationsthatdrivehisviolentnature,anunnamedmaniscapturingwomenandsavagelybeatingthemtodeath.Meanwhile,awomanisluringmenintoaviolentend,bywayofherknife.Drivenbythesameforcetomaketheoppositesexsuffer,thekillers’fatesintertwine.Thetwomustfaceoffinabattletothedeath,inwhichtheyareforcedtorevealthehorribletruthbehindtheiraddictiontomurder.Brutaltakesaninterestingapproachtoitsvisuals,drawingheavyinfluencefromWesternGrindhousefilms,usingafiltertomakethefootageappeargrainy,damaged,andwithlightandcolorfluctuations.Unfortunately,thevisualstylingendsupfeelingmisguided,asotherthanapplyingthefilteritdoesnotimitateanyotheraspectsoftheGrindhousegenre.Despitetryingtodirtyupthefilm,itisapparentitwasshotondigital.ThecinematographyisalsoastepabovemostGrindhouseproductions,withTakashiHiroseprovinghehastalentbehindthecamera.Exteriorshotstothosetakingplaceinsmallspacesareallcompetentlyframed,lit,andtransitionwell.Thedecisiontoaddaneffectontopoftheworkhurtsthefilm’simageryandevengivesasenseofdesperationtotrytocaptureacertaintypeofnostalgiawiththeaudience,insteadofrelyingonitsownstrengths.Itisunfortunatewhenonecreativechoicecanhurtaproductionsomuch.ThestoryofBrutalissimplebuteffective,itdoesattemptsomesortofsocialcommentaryabouttheviolentnatureofmenandwomen,butitdoesnotofferenoughdepthintothesubjecttojustifytheamountofviolenceondisplay.Thefilmdoesendonastrongnotewithaninterestingtwist,witharevealthatisboundtogrosssomeout,whilegivingothersachuckle.Inspiteofitssimplenature,thosewhoenjoyfilmsthatmakethemsomewhatuncomfortableandenjoythechallengeofgettingthroughsomeultra-violence,Brutalposesafunandentertainingchallengeinthatregard.
