Rondo Movie Review
Played July 27th – Directed by Drew Barnhardt, USA
A kinky sex proposition devolves into a chain of murder, sex, and revenge. And more murder.
Putting any of this film into words is almost doing it a disservice. Beyond “holy crap” or similar gasps of disbelief, can we really sum up what happens in this film and how it was executed? Not really. You are first drawn in by the poster, which reeks of 70s sleaze. And, if that is your expectation, you will not be disappointed. If anything, you will be overwhelmed.
RONDO is above and beyond your typical exploitation film (if anything of that “genre” can be called typical). Some scenes will make you feel dirty, maybe even repulsed. Some are exciting. Some are humorous, both in awkward ways and on occasion even the laugh-out-loud variety. I once described Ryan Nicholson’s GUTTERBALLS as “brutally violent, oversexed and over the top”. These same words could be described to RONDO without hesitation. Two completely different films, mind you, but they share this aesthetic.
Special acclaim must be given to the ladies of the film, because they are put in quite the vulnerable position and to accept such roles is brave, to say the least. Iva Nora, near as can be told, was discovered on a foot fetish website of all places. She displays far more than her feet, and such a debut role could make or break her. Brenna Otts is something like a classier version of Sasha Grey; she plays the femme fatale / heroine flawlessly and anyone who sees this film is sure to put her at the top of their casting list.
If you have any reservations about excessive violence, revenge, gratuitous nudity, etc. then this is not a film for you. But if these things do not scare you away, prepare to remain on the edge of your seat, jaw agape for 90 minutes. Because HOLY CRAP.