Here's a film that most people will never hear about. A low-budget, straight-to-video torture porn effort with a lackluster screenplay but enough creepy sets and nasty torture devices to keep you interested. A film with a forgiving run-time of 75 minutes that's packed to the rim with zany madness and unjustified bloodletting. If you are willing to approach it with open-mindedness while expecting nothing in the way of intrigue, characterization or depth, this film may not have you cursing at your TV. If, on the other hand, you are one of those Saw fan-boys who revel in the tiresome intricacies of Jigsaw's traps to the point where you must constantly force comparisons with any other horror film, then Gag is probably not for you. Too simple and too straight-forward. But for me, who is not a Saw fan, it was a surprisingly solid B movie that's perfect to kill some time, which is precisely its mandate. Of course, there is no place in film history for the likes of Gag, but it's certainly got a place in the middle of a boring Sunday afternoon.
Gag begins, and ends, with very lame plot twists...
The "plot" is as follows: Tony and Detroit are two (really) small-time burglers out for a big hit in the Hollywood Hills. The only problem is that the house they select is home to a depraved murderer with sadistic impulses to kill and torture strangers. Despite obvious signs of foul-play, such as a collection of panties hung from the ceiling and large meat hooks lying around, the pair of idiots decides to venture deeper and deeper into the house. Obviously, they soon get caught up in the killer's game and are forced to fight for their lives, and those of two other prisoners, spending almost the entire run-time imprisoned in some constrictive contraption, freeing themselves only to be caught in the following minutes. In short, you should ready yourself prior to watching the film not to root for the God-awful leads. Instead, you will want to appreciate the nerdy killer (whom I thought looked exactly like the Bible-Doll killer from Maurice Devereaux' Slashers) and his zany, fun-loving type of sadistic psychosis. But you won't want to root for him either as he is one infuriating little twerp. Truth is, Gag is an ugly film, with ugly characters and situations. But isn't it what horror is all about?
As most films of its ilk, Gag is thin on plot and thick on shocks. Fueled by a series of unsatisfying plot twists, many of which will have you shouting insults at the protagonists, the paper-thin, linear storyline will unlikely surprise, let alone challenge you. However, some effective tension-building, weirdly elaborate sets and nasty violence help keep the ensemble afloat. You can first marvel at the elaborate patchwork of scraps and trash constituting the labyrinthine lair of the madman. Here, a mask of sorts is hung above a silhouette etched in the wall, evoking actual pieces of a decaying human face; there, a silhouette filled with red dots is etched upside down, suggesting a medieval torture. There is even a neat little hide-a-bed with a panel bearing the caption "Fuck Some1" that flips open to reveal another panel marked "Kill Some1". This is all elaborated from scrap and it gives the whole scenery a sense of inhuman depravity. What's more is that the endless succession of rooms, none of which being easily identifiable as a potential exit, give us a dreadful sense of inescapabilily that makes the torture all the more worthwhile. And talking of torture, the film certainly delivers. Of course, the shoestring budget wouldn't allow elaborate mechanical traps. Instead, we got good, old-fashioned elbow grease, and a little imagination: just what the doctor ordered to clean your system! I'm talking anus-impalement and blade-feeding here: esophageal horror. It may not be as graphic as some would like it to be, due to budget constraints, but it can still make your skin crawl. Hell, you know who you are. If this tickles your fancy, then grab a copy of Gag along with your Sunday groceries and enjoy!
Tied with Christmas lights and tortured with wooden poles:
Not every psychopath is as rich as Jigsaw
As I said earlier, neither the clueless protagonists nor the bland murderer are round, intriguing characters. There is actually no justification for the villain's actions, nor should there be one. Instead of wasting time on bothersome exposition (that may have stretched the run-time to a harrowing 90 minutes), the makers of this film have rather decided to throw the audience in a pool of filth and let it try to swim. Because no matter how annoyed you may be with this film, it does contain all of the necessary elements to make a viable horror film: a relentless pace, horrific images, and a strong sense of entrapment. The lack of exposition is actually beneficial as it makes the killer to be nothing more than a bored nihilist. He thus gains a fearsome new dimension that greatly helps cultivate the sense of dread emanating from his actions. If nothing else, nihilism is one of the most fearsome drive in the world, and I must say that it is sadly underused as horror film fuel. Most slashers, for example, are in it for revenge. Supernatural beasts and devil worshippers are plain evil. But nihilists, such as the murderous trio from The Strangers or Michael Rooker and Tom Towles' Henry and Otis from Portrait of a Serial Killer, these are some truly fearsome antagonists. You may meet these people at a street corner and be subsequently caught in their murderous web whereas you'd actually have to be a high school bully or a stupid, drunken frat boy to die at the hands of teen stalkers.
Say what you want about Gag, it is an unpretentious and inspired effort that could give any Saw film a run for its money. Although it lacks in funds and technical proficiency, it is a more honest film. At least it doesn't invoke a highly dubious moral superiority to justify exploitative violence. At least, it doesn't revel in contradiction and multiply the narrative strands in a transparent bid to add an impression of depth to what is essentially a generic mess. Unfortunately, it is a film that will hardly find an audience. The more cultivated filmgoers will certainly look at it with disdain, if ever they should cross path with its disgustingly generic cover while genre films will not miss the chance to compare it with the technically, and narratively superior Saw. Personally, I bought a DVD copy for a single buck. One buck. And I was wholly satisfied. Take that last comment as you will, and do consider Gag if you see it on the shelf and are lacking inspiration for a film to rent. Then, enjoy it as you would a swim in a sceptic tank. Again, take that last comment as you will.
2/5 An unpretentious and effective little trash/horror film born out of junk and a few bucks.
