Bruiser

Spoiler Free.This feels very Twilight Zone and it has all the good and bad things that comparison suggests. A low budget and lack of stars lead to a reliance on creative special effects and ideas. Some of these work, the mask that the character wears (or more accurately is melded into his face) looks amazing. It seems surreal, organic, strange, haunting and slightly beautiful. It would not be out of place in an early David Cronenberg horror.However this film is little more than one simple idea, a guy gets pushed around too far and decides to take bloody vengeance. Sadly, that really is all there is to it. There is an idea of having your identity, your image of yourself destroyed thus allowing you to craft yourself a new one of your choice that doesn't quite work. As another reviewer has said on this page the protagonist never really seems to have suffered in equal amount to the punishment he inflicts on others.The major negative of this film is the dialogue, awfully written, no subtlety what so ever, it explains the plot and weakens the film dramatically. Performances are great but very one dimensional (though this seems deliberate), nice to see Jason Flemying in a lead role and he rises to the occasion. His characters' girlfriend is pure sex and cruelty and she delivers wonderfully and believably. You may not recognize the name, Peter Stormare (the villain) but you'll recognize him as the actor who always plays extreme characters chewing through the scenery and always being over the top and this is one of his best, funniest and ridiculous performances that is always a lot of fun to watch.Purchased from Amazon this dvd has no special features at all. Though picture and sound quality is very good for such a cheaply made film.Directed well it has some really nice surreal moments, some gory set pieces and some well made sets, lighting and costumes that come together in a macabre finale in a freak-show party (featuring an unexpected cameo from the band 'The Misfits'). Though entertaining you're unlikely to watch this a second time. If you can get this for £5 or under it's entertaining enough to be worth a watch.

Better than expected.

I thought this lesser George Romero film was an ok watch, but it has received very little exposure since its release. The story is of Henry (Jason Flemyng)a guy who has been walked over all his life. His wife always insults him and is also having an affair with his boss and his best friend has been cheating him out of money. One morning Henry wakes up to find his face has vanished and replaced by a blank white mask. Now he knows it's time to act and get revenge on all those that have betrayed him..Firstly the film contains good performances and is stylishly directed by Romero. It's slowly paced but i think it develops well and is well crafted. No doubt there are major meanings to the film that we all may have different takes on. But it's also quite fun to watch as Henry plots revenge on all those that have done him wrong. In all this is definitely worth a watch and it's a different viewing experience for sure.Picture quality is good and extras include production commentary,trailer,misfits video. Yes these old punks even make an appearence in the film during the party climax.

as of yet not got to watch it, but, this looks like it has all the hallmarks of a romero classic, plus the fact it is the full length version and not cut.

Bruiser is the name of the magazine that the reserved Henry (Jason Flemyng) is employed. He imagines himself choking and killing people who push him around. At a company party he sees his wife (Nina Garbiras) pleasing his crude boss (Peter Stormare) with her hand. They are having an affair. His dog hates him. His maid steals from him and his friend is robbing him blind. Henry describes himself as "house broke." Leslie Hope plays the understanding fellow co-worker and sometimes wife of Stormare who is just as disgusted with him as is Henry. She supplies him with the mask.One miraculous day Henry wakes up with that same plain white mask as a face (see DVD cover). He now has the ability to act out his destructive fantasies...and he does.The movie is an "artsy" dark comedy with a horror/slasher background. George C. Romero likes his symbols and metaphors to be subtle, like zombies walking aimlessly around a mall. This movie is not for everyone as it creates its own genre. It is not really a slasher, although before get killed. It doesn't generate real horror. It is not a LOL comedy, but it has humorous moments.F-bomb, sex, nudity (Nina Garbiras, Marie V. Cruz)