Those of you looking for a comfortable viewing experience need look elsewhere as The Horseman is perhaps one of the most violent and unflinchingly intense films in recent memory. The little Aussie thriller that could is getting rave reviews the world over for its heavy handed brutality, which was sometimes even too much for this horror film buff to bear.  A revenge flick in the best sense of the word, it borrows heavily from the great exploitation films of the 70s but improves on the genre clichés thanks to an incredible performance from Peter Marshall that adds a level of humanity usually absent from this kind of shtick.

Directed by Steven Kastrissios, the local film follows Christian (Marshall) as he unleashes hell on the culprits responsible for the death of his daughter. In investigating the suspicious nature of her passing, he comes across a sordid and violent porn video depicting his daughter in a semi conscious state. With the name of the distributor in hand he takes to the road to hunt down and punish all involved.  To make things more interesting, along the way he is joined on his travels by Alice (Caroline Marohasy), a runaway and together they begin to develop a father- daughter relationship.

There’s nothing particularly original about The Horseman but it’s the execution that makes this film particularly memorable. Rather than resort to the gimmicky torture porn attempts at horror of films like Hostel or Saw, the movie does a commendable job in developing the central character. While particularly violent, director Kastrissios also shows substantial restraint in certain gut wrenching scenes which only seem to further traumatise the viewer through the mere suggestion of the events unfolding. It’s hard to justify the eschewed morality of this film but as with all the other greats in this subgenre, you know what you’re getting into.

The film works thanks to Marshall who is a force to be reckoned with as Christian. The astounding thing is that he manages to make the character a sympathetic antihero while witnessing him commit absolute atrocities in the name of justice. Despite wanting to turn away on numerous occasions the need to find resolution for this character is what forces the viewer to continue on the squirm filled journey. This would not have been possible in the hands of a lesser actor. The Horseman is not for everybody and will only be appreciated to those who enjoy being deeply challenged and disturbed by their entertainment.

If this sounds like your idea of a good night out, you owe it to yourself to see this bloody Australian gem.

The Horseman is showing this weekend at Melbourne's Cinema Nova.