3 stars
Trapped under the control of their brutal father, three brothers band together in a desperate plan to end things once and for all by ending the life of the man responsible for their intensely horrible home life. They join their dad on a hunting trip, leading him to a place in the forest where they’ve dug a shallow grave just waiting to be filled.
They leave Dad dead and buried, then head back home. It’s only after the deed is done and they regroup at their car that they realize they forgot to get the key around their father’s neck, the key to the safe containing enough money to not only ease their conscience about committing patricide but set them up in a life far from the terrible memories of their life up to that point. They return to the grave to get the ket and find it empty. No key. No dead dad.
And that’s when the fun begins.
Director/co-writer Rodger Griffiths shows a keen sense of timing in Betrayal, his feature film debut. He effectively spreads the plot’s various twists and turns, from that empty grave to the fiery ending, in a way that always keeps the audience guessing what will happen next. He also ensures that all surprises make sense, something many more experienced filmmakers tend to forget.
The cast does a phenomenal job of selling the plot no matter where the storyline takes them. Paul Higgins (In the Loop) sets the bar high with his portrayal of the abusive head of the clan. He embraces the psychotic nature of the character, terrifying one moment and seductively charming the next. Joanne Thompson (Outlander) is also good as the beleaguered wife, especially when she changes from victim to protector when her children are attacked.
The trio of young actors playing the sons – John (Brian Vernel), Henry (Daniel Portman) and Vince (Calum Ross) may not have grown up together, but have no problem convincing the audience that they make a tightly knit clan. Even when circumstances push the the edge and they start questioning each others’ loyalties, you know in yoru heart as you watch them that they will work it out. It may at times mean one of them picking up a knife or a gun to make their point, and they may spill each others blood when things get too intense, but they will always be three against the world in the end.
