Villains (2019)

What has always fascinated me is how many horror films are out there that go undiscovered by millions of people and sometimes it just due to lack of promotion. I always try to do my best in discovering those films and while I was strolling through the HULU library, I found a film that featured the star of IT Chapters 1 & 2 alongside the star of the breakout 2014 film It Follows together in a film aptly called Villains which was written and directed by Dan Berk (Don't Kill It) and Robert Olsen (Long Nights Short Mornings). The film stars Bill Skarsgård (IT Chapter 2) as Mickey and Maika Monroe (It Follows/Honey Boy) as Jules, a couple of amateur criminals who run into a little trouble after a successful convenient store hold up. The couple forgets to put gas in their car and so after it runs out of gas they are forced to break into a home to try and steal a car, but there's a second big problem. They break into the home of a weird sadistic couple and they discover their deep dark secret which they'll do anything to keep a secret. The film also stars Jeffrey Donovan (Book Of Shadows: Blair Witch 2) as George, Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer) as Gloria, Blake Baumgartner (City On A Hill) as Sweetiepie, and Danny Johnson (Daredevil) as Officer Wells.

This is one of those films that starts off where you believe that Mickey and Jules are the villains in the film because they've robbed the store and now they are breaking into this house, but as soon as you meet the inhabitants of the home then you know who the real villains are. One thing is definitely for sure and that is that Skarsgård and Monroe made a great on screen duo that made the film more enjoyable and believable as you rooted for them in every crazy scenario that came up. At one point, I was like something has to give because they are almost getting away, but then a monkey wrench is thrown in. This is one of those films where it could be hard to pick just one MVP because everybody did their job, but the standout to me was the brilliant Jeffery Donovan who took control of the screen every opportunity that was thrown his way and he prevailed. The choice of having Donovan and Sedgwick was another home run choice as they fed off of each other through out the whole film and she was even amazing as well. This is one of those films that has the happy ending, but it kind of comes with a cost, but the weirdest thing is that Blake has one line in the whole entire film and it comes at the least dramatic moment in the film (in my opinion) and there is no fight put up when the line is said and no questions asked later. It has a small cast and it works to their benefit as there is all killer and no filler in this film. I am going to give the film an B+ for a final grade, check it out right now on HULU.