To be honest with you guys out there, I’ve been getting a lot of shit (meaning films, not actual turd nuggets) from indie film directors… most of the time these films get watched and tossed… but The Path of Torment? It’s a fucking keeper. The film has everything that low-budget horror fans could want, quirky characters, demented scenes of random violence, and a large naked chick holding a pizza. You know you’re in for a good time when the film starts off with a quote from the Marquis de Sade.

The film tells the tale of two Mormon missionaries who aren’t quite what they seem. Even though you think you might be able to piece the plot together from there… you can’t. These two missionaries weasel their way into an unsuspecting couple’s house, torture them, shoot the breeze about TV shows, and even stop to order a pizza. Their good-times fun is disrupted when it turns out that the couple was planning on throwing a party. As soon as the couple’s guests start showing up, the film kicks into high gear, and off the wall wackiness ensues. What follows is one of the more delightfully twisted indie horror flicks that I have seen.

Gary C. Warren, writer, director, and star of the film has crafted an offbeat tale of randomness that must be seen to be believed. The amazing thing about the film is that, taken as the sum of its parts, it shouldn’t be as enjoyable as it is. The look of the film is medium-range low-budget action, meaning that some of the lighting is off and the camera work could be a little crisper. The environs of the film are about as sparse as you can get without putting up a sign that says, “This house was rented simply to film a movie in.” As the party evolves in the house, it becomes apparent that there is almost no furniture in the house and that someone failed to do their homework on production design… none of the guest can even sit down in the movie because there’s no furniture anywhere.

However, this film is about one thing and one thing only, the character that Gary C. Warren plays. Warren’s character is a demented sociopath whose mind has been warped by hours of commercial-filled TV watching. The true joy that Warren exhibits as LDS #2 is infectious, and while the first thirty minutes of the movie are fairly befuddling, as soon as you hop on the ride that Warren is operating, the film hits a purely satisfying level of guilty pleasuredom. Warren’s character is fascinating to watch, and as the end of the movie draws to a close… a feeling not unlike post-poodum depression envelops the viewer (Post-poodum depression is the empty feeling you get after nursing a turd for hours, playing turtle head, and then releasing it into the wild.) You simply can’t wait to see another installment of this happy go lucky lunatic.

The Path of Torment isn’t all roses as few people besides Warren exhibit much more than average skill. The other LDS guy that shows up with Warren’s character is interesting in a few spots, but all of the money lines are saved for Warren. The couple that is tormented in the film couldn’t be less interesting, and they are poorly acted to boot. I was rooting for them to get it in the end… and maybe that’s the point of the whole film. Besides… who wants to watch a killer that they hate? If I wanted that, I’d just pop in a copy of Oliver Stone’s W.

Warren’s flick is like a less pretentious, rough around the edges version of American Psycho… only without all the stupid mind-fuckery and funny as hell in certain parts. Did I mention the naked chick on the couch with a pizza? The great thing about this movie is that it’s nothing like the trailer. If you check out the trailer for the flick, what you see is a movie that seems all religiousy and serious… thankfully, the movie is nothing like that. This film is one of the few flicks that I’ve received that I will actually be keeping in my collection… and pulling it out, getting drunk to it, and laughing maniacally to. If you ever get a chance to see it, check it out.

Final Synopsis: The Path of Torment is funny as hell. It’s probably more on the comedy side, and for an indie horror comedy, it’s surprisingly effective. Gary C. Warren owns in this flick.

Points Lost: -1 for some typical low-budget acting from supporting cast, -1 for a lack of effective gore pieces, -1 for poor production design (the house seriously looked abandoned), -1 for a first third of the film that is nowhere near as entertaining as the rest of the movie

Bonus Points: +1 for making me happy to see people get killed, +1 for an awesome and hilarious crane shot at the end of the movie

Lesson Learned: Never let ‘em in.

Burning Question: What percentage of people can watch this movie without getting the song “Jesus is a Friend of Mine” stuck in their heads?

The Path of Torment
8/10

Tags: 2009, gary c. warren, horror, horror comedy, horror movie, indie, latest movie reviews, naked chick holding a pizza, New Independent Film Reviews, new independent movie reviews, recent2, slasher