The Horseman

THE HORSEMAN (2008) - Mar. 25, 2010
An almost absurdly grim and gritty thriller about a father who is out for revenge after the death of his daughter, and who befriends a young girl along the way.  Brutally violent -- and not stylized, Kill Bill style violence; this is gritty, uncomfortably brutal violence -- this was a surprisingly intense, really engaging film.  I could definitely see this film just being unpleasant if it weren't so well made, but first-timer Steven Kastrissios directs this with a sure hand, and some of the scenes were almost unrelentingly tense.  There's very little down-time between the action sequences (if you can call them that), but it definitely works, creating a level of tension that really doesn't let up until the end credits roll.  ***1/2