Overview
DON’T BREAK HER HEART!
Lola Stone asked Brent Mitchell to the prom, but Brent said no, and now he’s screwed. What happens when Lola doesn’t get what she wants? She enlists Daddy’s help to throw a prom of her own, where she is queen and Brent is king—whether he likes it or not. The Loved Ones is what happens when puppy love goes horribly, violently wrong. Brent should have said yes…
Review
This may sound weird, but how many guys who watch this film actually come away with a slight crush on the character Lola Stone (played by Robin McLeavy)? Count me in that group! Yes she’s wicked and horribly psychopathic, but there’s also this innocent charm that permeates around her character. She is one of the cutest psycho-bitches I’ve ever come across in film.
What I thought would be a mildly entertaining film actually became one of my top 25 horror movies ever, entering at number 21. The Loved Ones is remarkably distinctive and I was taken aback by the realism of the storyline. It strikes a perfect harmony between intense scenes and lighter, sometimes even humorous and whimsical moments. The significant plot twist towards the conclusion and the interconnectedness of the events completely blew me away.
One aspect that distinguished this film was its ability to shift focus away from the torture scenes. Interspersed throughout the movie are moments highlighting Brent Mitchell’s concerned mother, worried girlfriend, and clueless friend who is on a memorable date with his prom partner. These breaks from the main storyline effectively build empathy for Brent’s predicament, making the brutal scenes involving Lola and her father even more intense.
The Loved Ones is an Australian horror flick and is truly an undiscovered gem. It is a perfect horror film to watch each and every year around Valentine’s Day.
