The Aggression Scale DVD Review

5th Sep 2012

The Aggression Scale has a pretty simple plot. We have a bailed-out crime boss (Ray Wise) instructing his chief henchman (Dana Ashbrook – yes, you could be forgiven for thinking you were having a quick Twin Peaks flashback) to find some money that has disappeared. Oh and basically to kill everyone they come across. This quickly develops into a home invasion when the henchmen find the man responsible for siphoning off their boss’ cash living in a big new house with his son, his shiny new wife and stepdaughter. Of course, what they are not expecting is for the son to be a psychotic teenager more than capable of defending his home.

Everyone loves a psychotic child, right? And Ryan Hartwig as the severely disturbed, mute Owen is pretty damn good. With barely a frown on his slightly cherubic face, his violent outbursts are some of the best scenes – especially when paired with the moments of tender attention he pays to his sister. Lauren (Fabianne Therese’s moody, victimised teenager) is rather annoying, far too much weeping and wailing, but she does eventually even out and is a nice foil for Owen’s silence. I also liked friction evident in the newly minted family. It’s believable and adds to the suspense when the shit really does hit the fan. Ashbrook’s Lloyd is also pretty spot on. Several moments of self-doubt, where he is obviously questioning his loyalties, help to give him just enough depth to avoid being a stock character.

In case you were wondering, there are deliberate nods to Home Alone, one scene is especially familiar, which are obviously the director’s defence against any charges of imitation. It is only really the concept that bears a resemblance. The henchmen are infinitely more dangerous than Macaulay Culkin’s foes, and Owen’s ‘traps’ are correspondingly more vicious and less cartoonish. It’s violent and bloody, but it manages to avoid being totally casual – mostly thanks to Lauren’s horrified reactions to Owen’s brutality and his total unconcern.

The Aggression Scale has been actively marketed as Home Alone Vs. Rambo, and while in essence this is a fair summation of the film’s superficial content, it really conjures up a pretty inaccurate, rather silly, picture. It is actually a pretty dark, reserved kind of film, where the ultra violence is nicely balanced with suspense and effective characterisation. It’s a whole lot better than many of the low budget efforts around at the moment and definitely worth the time and effort to find.