As I attempt to play fast catch up with my reviews, I centre my attention on the latest bout of streaming films that have been available on Shudder this year, starting with For The Sake of Vicious.

If I could sum up this movie in one word it would be, ‘relentless’

This home invasion movie takes things to the next level when a nurse, Romina (Lora Burke) returns home from a grueling day of work only to find that her night of torment has only just begun when she discovers a bruised and beaten man, Alan (Colin Paradine) tied to a chair in her kitchen with another  unhinged psychotic man, Chris (Nick Smyth) calling all the shots.
What starts out as a battle of wits among the trio as Romina tries to work out what is actually going on and why, shifts through some gnarly gears when they become the subject of bedlam as intruders begin to infiltrate the domain, to kill them all.

These intruders come donned in clown masks, demon masks, and cycling helmets, to add to their mystery and fuel the tension as they rip apart the house, chucking every available item except the kitchen sink at each other. This battle for survival in a domestic style battle royale keeps pushing the envelope and is brutal in its delivery.

The Prognosis:

Each character draws upon their internal strengths through an amazing ordeal that is gripping and intense throughout the narrative. I didn’t expect to be so gripped by this film, but the Directing and Writing partnership of Gabriel Carrer and Reese Eveneshen tantalise our expectations of just exactly how far they can push the action and keep the insanity of it all grounded in reality.

• Saul Muerte