Watch The Tortured
- 2012
- 17 min
The Tortured is a horror-thriller movie released in 2013, directed by Robert Lieberman and starring Jim E. Chandler, Stephen Knight, Zach Sale, and Jim Sutton. The plot follows a couple, Elise and Craig Landry, who are devastated after their six-year-old son, Benjamin, is kidnapped and murdered. As the perpetrator, a sadistic man named John Kozlowski, is sentenced to only 25 years in prison, Elise and Craig feel that justice has not been served, and they decide to take matters into their own hands.
The movie starts with a happy family of three enjoying a picnic in a park when Benjamin is suddenly abducted. We then see the couple's life unravel as they deal with the loss of their son and struggle to cope with the pain and grief. As they attend John's trial, they are disappointed to learn that the legal system can't do much to punish him, and he will only serve a minimal sentence.
Filled with a sense of frustration and anger, the couple comes up with a plan to take revenge on John by kidnapping him and inflicting pain and suffering upon him that would equal what their son had gone through before his death. They build a soundproof room in the basement of an abandoned house, where they take John and chain him up, intending to torture him for seven days.
As the days pass, the couple's sanity and moral compass become seriously compromised, and they grapple with their actions and what they have become. The movie cleverly portrays how the line between justice and revenge can be blurred, and the psychological effects of such heavy emotional trauma on the victims.
During John's captivity, the couple takes turns inflicting different types of torture, each progressively more gruesome than the last. Although they have initially prepared for this, they soon come to realize that there is no preparation for the depth of the darkness they are experiencing.
The Tortured has a strong emphasis on the themes of revenge, justice, and guilt. As the couple's plan unfolds, they come to realize that they are not avenging their son's death or bringing him back, but rather punishing a man who they feel got off too lightly.
Throughout the movie, the audience's empathy shifts between the couple and John, and the story raises important questions about vigilante justice and the darker side of human nature.
The film's visuals are gripping, with the torture scenes being explicit but never gratuitous. The actors deliver strong performances, heightening the sense of tension and despair throughout the movie.
The climax of the movie brings about a shocking twist that leaves the audience questioning their own assumptions and biases. It's a thought-provoking twist that sets this movie apart from other generic horror-thrillers.
In conclusion, The Tortured is a gripping horror-thriller that explores complex themes and offers a penetrating look into human nature. With great acting, remarkable visuals, and a powerful climax, this movie offers a haunting meditation on revenge, justice, and the painful aftermath of loss.