First let me say that the movie is very appropriately titled, from the very start the action in this film is a display of total Brutality! If this was filmed in 3D, I believe I would have been covered in blood. I was sitting in my seat thinking "this can't get more brutal" and then sure enough, "splat, pop, eye gouge"! The opening had my attention, I was enthralled and determined to figure out what was happening. Why were these characters in a continuous blood drenched battle? The way the movie unfolded was very artistic and I could see how Mr. Flaherty has matured and grown from his last movie. I also want to say that Jeff Hatch gave a great performance, as did Morgan Benoit!

Fantastic action shots, opening with a dramatic "ouch moment" that has you looking away. The film keeps you interested all the way through as you gradually watch the plot evolve and see the change in direction and attitude of all the characters. Light hearted moments are in there, but as the title suggests, its not supposed to be a laugh a minute film. The action shots are well filmed and very realistic. The plot certainly isn't a straight forward "violence only" film. It has a gentler side that caused a deal of debate after watching it. Which is great because it obviously offers different things to different people, dependant on your perception of the story. Great movie, well worth the watch.

I saw this film at its Los Angeles premiere at the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. If the action sequence that opens BRUTAL doesn't get your attention, you're dead. From moment one, the audience is drawn into the hellishly surreal world into which a mysterious force has dropped Trevor (Morgan Benoit) and Derrick (Jeff Hatch.) BRUTAL combines some of the most balls-to-the-wall fight choreography you've ever seen (Benoit and Hatch's bone-crunching fights are so realistic that they are simultaneously hard to watch and hard to turn away from,) a sci-fi undercurrent and a nuanced lead performance that should, by all rights, make Morgan Benoit a star. BRUTAL cuts across the genres, and Donald Flaherty's mix of Twilight Zone-esque mystery and raw brutality makes for a fascinating ride.

I was fortunate to attend the screening of Brutal in late 2013. I was very impressed with the films originality. A concept I have not seen before. The fight scenes were as the title suggested "Brutal" the actors were obviously trained fighters as some of the stunts were very clearly done by them.The story was a times heart breaking and at other times intensely dramatic. Great performances by the leads as well as the supporting cast. The actress who played the mother was very believable and gave the story a real heart.Morgan Benoit who played the younger of the two lead actors is a name to watch out for. I have seen him in a couple of films now and his fight skills matched with some good acting chops should see him go from strength to strength.Overall I thought Brutal was great. I think it will do very well on an international scale as the film is not heavy on dialogue and the fight scenes will keep any action/fight fan on the edge of their seat.