Home invasion movies have become quite popular lately. With films like The Strangers, Trespass, and this year’s Silent House and Straw Dogs remake, the subgenre seems to be booming. The latest film is The Aggression Scale, a home invasion movie that takes a fresh approach to the subject matter.
Reg Bellavance (Ray Wise) has been charged with murder and is soon on his way to jail. But when he attempts to skip town with his son, he discovers someone has stole the $500 000 he had stashed to leave with. He sends out a team of four heavily armed hitmen to find out who took it and get it back. One by one they go to the suspects houses and eliminate them all. But when they arrive at the home of Bill and Maggie (Boyd Kestner and Lisa Rotondi), they get more than they bargained for when they encounter Owen, the youngest child of the family. Owen has some issues that have made his life and the life of his parents very difficult. But those same issues just may be the only thing that keeps Owen and his sister Lauren alive.
I was really surprised by how much fun The Aggression Scale was. It starts out as a crime picture, turns into a home invasion movie, then becomes somewhat of a survival film. And watching a group of skilled hitmen trying to outwit a kid was a real blast. It really is a sort of bloody and violent Home Alone of sorts. Director Steven C. Miller keeps the pace really tight and fast paced as well as stylishly interesting. And Ryan Hartwig as Owen is quite the breakthrough performance. Without so much as a word, Hartwig pretty much carries the film himself and does it with great power. You will really find yourself pulling for this kid as he first struggles to survive a hit on his entire family, then tried to turn the tables on his attackers. The Aggression Scale was a very pleasant surprise and a fresh twist on the genre.
The BluRay from Anchor Bay is very nice. Detail is very good throughout as is the overall clarity. Colors are muted but solid and black levels are deep. For a lower budget film, the transfer is pretty impressive. A great little gritty and fun thriller with an above average transfer, The Aggression Scale is a nice little gem that was unexpected and welcome. Recommended.
