"Just imagine a hero without a genetic motive. Not a relative, not a potential mate. Now, that would be interesting, wouldn't it?"
Directed by Tom Shankland
Written by Clive Bradley
Cast Stellan Skarsgard
Melissa George
Selma Blair
Ashley Walters
Plot
There is something horribly wrong with the bodies found in the dark city streets. Some are mutilated while others have the Price equation (wΔz = Cov (w,z) = βwzVz) carved into their flesh. Detective Eddie Argo and his new partner Helen Westcott unearth the meaning of the odd equation and realise each victim is being offered a gruesome choice: kill your loved ones, or be killed.
There are a few reasons wΔz (pronounced double-U delta zed) was never a big hit. Firstly, the title isn't very box office friendly. It actually took me a good half hour to remember what it was called (typing 'really good film with weird title that got dismissed as torture porn' into Google didn't work). It was renamed 'The Killing Gene' for the U.S, a title which must have been chosen by someone who never saw the film, and got lost amongst the thousands of low budget horror movies churned out each year.
The movie's plot (people are kidnapped and tortured) unfortunately led it to be lumped with garbage like Hostel and the later Saw sequels. This is an incredibly unfair comparison. Yes, there are some brutally bloody moments, but there is very little violence in the first half of the movie. Indeed, the film makers smartly show very little, and instead focus on building an atmosphere of anticipation and dread. This is a film all about 'why' not 'how'. As a lover of horror movies it's easy to become desensitised to violence these days. When I watch a film and people are getting their heads chopped off every five minutes I find it very difficult to take the violence seriously. In wΔz we often see the before and after of the torture, the mutilated bodies of the victims our only clue into what cruel punishment they have suffered. Because of this, the one full length torture scene in the movie really means something. In fact, I would go as far to say the last half hour of this film is amongst the most disturbing I've ever seen, and I strongly suggest you only watch if you have a strong stomach.
The cast is excellent, although to say too much would risk giving away too many plot details. Skarsgard plays Eddie perfectly, and has good chemistry with his rookie partner (Melissa George). I've been a fan of Ashley Walters since Bullet Boy, and his brave performance as Daniel shows how good he could be if he had the chance. Even though he appears to be typecast as a 'gangsta' he brings a lot of depth to his roles than other rappers who have tried their hand at acting. Even Paul Kaye puts in a good effort, and is impressive in one of his very few non-comedic roles.
The movie has some real good twists and turns, and, personally, raises a few questions I dont particularly want to answer. As I said, there is violence in this movie and it's not for everyone. However, if you enjoyed Se7en and long for an intelligently written psychological thriller, I heartily recommend you check out wΔz .
Final Verdict
A dark, gritty film that is as disturbing as it is gripping. Watch it alone to fully appreciate the efforts of those involved.
***
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