DVD review: August Underground's Penance (Video 2007)

The final film in the August Underground trilogy, PENANCE shows the dark decline of the two nameless killers as they continue to videotape the madness along their path of destruction. PENANCE captures the raw emotion of every moment caught in the camera's eye, scorching your soul with brutal depravity and a perverse sadness that will linger much longer than the disturbing visions on the screen. August Underground's Penance is written by Allen Peters, Christie Whiles and Fred Vogel who also is the director. We get more of the same yet it´s different than the earlier films, it´s bigger, has more character depth, less of the frantic shaky cam and the video footage is clean and crisp. The acting is good, both Fred Vogel and Christie Whiles are very good as their respective characters. As in the previous films the violence is dirty and very nasty, there is no Hollywood glamour to be found in August Underground's Penance. Degradation, rape, humiliation and much more is on display. For gorehounds, August Underground's Penance won't disappoint. The gore make-up is brilliant, courtesy of f/x wizard Jerami Cruise, for instance there is a gutting scene that is very impressive and looks very realistic.
This review is based upon the DVD release from Toetag Pictures.
Rating: 7 out of 7. August Underground's Penance is powerful and dirty, it´s a difficult film to sit through. It´s extreme cinema at it´s best and highly recommended but if you´re squemish stay away, stay very far away. Toe Tag Pictures is one of my favorite production companies and I look forward to see more from them.

/JL