Pet (2016)
2016
94 Minutes
A man imprisons the woman he's still obsessed with after years apart, then finds the tables turned on him.
User Review
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Pet needed to restrain its implausibilities with both a leash and a cage. Subversive thrillers that purposefully twist genre tropes are always welcome. Those that attempt to push boundaries, testing the limitations of the viewer's mind. Pet does just that, which is why I should've liked this. Unfortunately though, its mediocre execution and completely absurd plot twists hinder what was a decently captivating premise. A lonely man encounters an old school friend, quickly becoming fixated on her. His stalker-like behaviour rapidly ascends to the sociopathic as he kidnaps her and locks her in a cage. This first act of what should've been a promising claustrophobic thriller was well constructed. Monaghan's awkward performance substantiates enough creepiness to acquire your attention. Tension was slowly rising, if somewhat predictably at first. The mood was tepidly eerie and the stalking felt unsettling. Then we arrive at the second act. A simple but effective premise becomes lost in favour for unpredictability. The twisted "the abuser becomes the abused" theme has been explored before, with varying results. The major problem with this film is with the lack of character development and two ridiculously mentally unstable individuals. So messed up that any actions felt derivative. Relying on implausibility to make unpredictable twists does not make an engrossing thriller. It loses all tension and focus, making it a bland experience. From expositional hallucinations to chopping off a finger in the name of love. Nothing feels captivating. Which is a shame as the two lead performances were committed and intriguing to watch. The concluding ten minutes gets back on track slightly, although the final minute was stupidly unrealistic. However it's probably more exciting to just go out and walk your dog. That feels more real atleast...0 member like this review.
