Part survival thriller, part tournament fighter, I was hooked as soon as I saw the trailer for Oren Benamor’s new feature film, Initiation. Modern movie theaters have been dealing with a severe lack of brutal one-on-one action flicks for a while now, so it’s refreshing to see something in this genre that bares no resemblance to The Hunger Games. However, Initiation isn’t quite the Bloodsport-esque exploitation fun that you might be expecting.
Starring Adam Ryan Rennie as Simon, a regular man trapped alongside a seemingly random group of kidnapped people, Initiation follows a brutal ceremony being orchestrated by a mysterious secret society. This ceremony consists of pitching a stranger and a potential member of the society against one another in an unrestrained fight to the death. Should the stranger somehow survive, he apparently gets to walk away.
Plot-wise, this isn’t exactly Citizen Kane, but it’s a decent enough setup for the kind of movie that Initiation wants to be. However, what sets this film apart from most other “fight-to-the-death” flicks is the unusually introspective look inside Simon’s motivations, via flashbacks into his past in the military, and interactions with family and friends. The banter amongst the captive men also helps to emotionally ground the story, allowing the viewer to empathize with this group of strangers, though none of them are quite as developed as Rennie’s character.
Adam was actually a great choice for a compelling protagonist, and it especially shows during the military flashback sequences. The supporting cast did a fine job as well, especially the crazed antagonists, but none of them gave particularly noteworthy performances. Luckily, the script was clever and believable enough to make up for any acting missteps.
Despite the surprising amount of character development, Initiation still feels like a missed opportunity. The fights are realistic and decently shot, but aren’t as memorable as something like Battle Royale or even the cheesy Mortal Kombat. The setting itself is also disappointingly uninspired, as the majority of the film takes place in the same dirty room, with little to no flare or variation. These issues, coupled with an assortment of unfortunate clichés, bring this otherwise fun movie down a notch.
Ultimately, Oren’s film is an enjoyable ride that just feels slightly underwhelming. Perhaps with a larger budget and some more finesse, Initiation could have been a midnight movie classic for those who wish to see desperate men beating the crap out of each other. As it stands, I can’t quite recommend this as a truly great film, but anyone up for a simple yet well-crafted thriller will certainly appreciate this unusually thoughtful low-budget offering, despite a few flaws here and there.
Initiation will be available on VOD platforms (iTunes) on August 9th.