To the lay viewer, Consequences would at first appear to be a Johnny-Come-Lately rendition of Eli Roth’s Hostel. However, analogous to the similarities (as well as poignant differences) between David Fincher’s Se7en and James Wan’s Saw, Stephen Stahl’s directorial debut is a work onto itself that merely happens to share thematic resemblances to a previous cinematic effort. As such, sadistic entrapment is the genesis for the film, yet its execution–and the consequences thereof–are unlike any feature before or since.
Norm (Chris Cannon), Max (Nicholas Joseph Kattar), Jason (Paul Marron), Nick (Adam Ratcliffe), and Jimmy (Michael Tranzilli) have known one another since childhood. Upon the eve of their high school graduation, sensing that their bonds may be broken when adult responsibilities ensue, they celebrate their life-long friendship with undying dedication. Twenty-two years later, their teenage apprehensions having proven to be justified, the quintet still take time to rekindle their amity via an annual football weekend. However, after arriving at this year’s destination, Philadelphia, the various individuals are separated as each of their lives will be irreparably altered.
Whereas Hostel’s conflict is rooted in imperialistic tyranny, Stahl’s work explores the psychology of sublimation and, at that, ironically twice over. Having said this, it is truly difficult to dive into the crux of Consequences for its philosophic prowess lies within its mind-numbing finale, replete with a twist ending which few, if any (including the well versed cineophile), will be able to anticipate. Though the audience is issued a scenario involving Sadian entrapment, Stahl refuses to cast a black-and-white world of good and evil as the hostages, instead of aligning their efforts in order to procure sanctuary, further exhaust their reserves by verbally belittling one another as blame is arbitrarily cited before being subsequently deferred or summarily dismissed. Moreover, the work remains as entertaining as it is rewarding for it, ever-so-refreshingly, breaks from metaphorical genre formula.
What can be freely discussed without harboring the risk of despoiling a vestal viewing are the aesthetic nuances of Consequences. The film is admirably told via expert pacing as Timothy McMurtry’s editing is masterfully controlled and directed. With all too many burgeoning filmmakers, every scene and every frame becomes caulk full of dialogue regardless of whether or not the narrative demands such. However, with Consequences, Stahl and Co. aptly intersperse montages in order to maintain pacing as slow motion and silence serve as economic segues.
Equally praiseworthy is rookie screenwriter Anthony Hipple, for his tale encases a multitude of characters, many of which are stereotypically cast as we are greeted by them during their understandably typecast teen years before we transit to the same characters, two decades hence, as their cardinal traits are retained yet a noticeable shift goaded by responsibility is presented in many but, very feasibly, not all. It is with an exacting eye to detail and cinematic history that we find our first antagonist, the unnamed director of the malicious proceedings (Frank Traynor), houses red nail polish as his finger nail on his pinky protrudes, thus simultaneously evoking memories of Harvey Keitel’s character of Sport in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and, as did Sthal’s cinematic predecessor, the symbolic import of Satan. Moreover, Traynor’s resemblance to the latter-day Malcolm McDowell stirs up the subconscious dread of the acclaimed actor’s portrayals as the vicious Alex de Large from Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange as well as his role as Emperor Gaius Germanicus Caesar in Tinto Brass’s Caligula. Needless to say, the filmmakers’ exquisite penchant for casting reaches its peak with Traynor but by no means is exclusive to the performer’s presence. Furthermore, the filmmaker directs his actors with a veteran hand as most everyone involved seems to be pulled from real life as their wardrobe is appropriately inappropriate, i.e. a camouflage blazer, while others naturalistically scratch itches, impolitely evidence boredom or distain, or–as in real life–wait for their turn to speak or act.
However, Consequences is not without is faults. Undoubtedly attributable to the feature’s miniscule budget, our thirty- and forty-something cast are forced to attempt–with little success–to play their teenage selves at the open of the film yet, on this note, few beginning filmmakers possess the presence of mind to attempt to posit a period piece even if their story requires such but, once more, Stahl remains true to his work as he earnestly navigates the best the can given the circumstances. Lastly, and with great regret, the jaw-dropping finale is all too brief for, before our minds can register the girth of the consequences which follow the epiphany we have been issued, the director is already presenting us with a resolution. As such, Consequences is a rare breed in which it is a debut, low budget affair which is too short as opposed to the all-too-frequent dilemma of being distressingly overlong.
Consequences opened to much applause in its native city of Philadelphia in 2006 and, for whatever reason, has been re-released as under the title “Playroom.” Though its original title is more befitting the feature’s contents, Stephen Stahl’s debut retains its daunting effectiveness as it promises more of the same from an up-and-coming talent. A delight to watch even with its warts, few will be able to shake the consequences of what Stahl has given birth. May his offspring be as scathingly honest, vicious, and unrepentant as his firstborn.
-Egregious Gurnow
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
