Macabre…ish Horror Review: Brute 1976
If you like road trip slashers or you just enjoy The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, you might like this. Actually, scratch that, if you tried to like those movies but found them too terrifying, this might be right up your alley. None of this movie happens at night, so you might find this easier to watch.
This film is set in the late 70s and a group of people are headed to the desert for a photo shoot. They make some stops and there’s mayhem, disturbing characters, a mysterious abandoned town and heinous deaths.
And if you like a slow burn, you’re in luck, because this flick is gonna make you wait for the drama but it is spaced pretty well. You’re also gonna get a nod to cult, exploitation cinema, which is always a nice touch. This movie is unnerving and uncomfortable which makes sense since it was directed by the man who brought us Blood Feast, Marcel Walz!
Synopsis:
Brute 1976, 2025/ 105 min.
Two women, Raquel (Gigi Gustin) and June (Bianca Jade Montalvo) break down in the desert and unfortunately, now they have to walk. Luckily, they happen upon signs of life that turns out to be a mine turned salvage yard. And the lights are on but it seems nobody’s home. (Spoiler: Somebody’s home.)
June takes off inside and Raquel is forced to follow, a trail of clothes marks the path and she finds June, naked. It gets a little hot and heavy but unfortunately they are interrupted by one of the worst possible cave dwellers. Only one of them makes it out of the mine but she doesn’t go quietly.
A bus, carrying the rest of the crew, is on the way to the location of their shoot.
- Spoilers
Raquel wakes up screaming, with a collar around her neck and it alerts her captive. An older, bald individual dressed up in gaudy jewelry and a kimono and wearing Raquel’s sunglasses, named Daisy (Jed Rowen). While putting on makeup, this person talks about being a woman, genitals and finally opens their robe to unveil June’s chest, hanging around their neck like a bib. Raquel can’t stop screaming but she does manage to compose herself enough to try to escape.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew pulls into a ghost town, hoping the phone works. They’re still waiting for June and Raquel to arrive. After the call, they pull away and never see or hear the screaming Raquel, limping out of a building behind them. She’s hauled back inside by a huge man wearing a mask, accompanied by Daisy, still wearing June’s chest.
Back at the rendezvous spot the crew regroups and decide to make the photoshoot happen without June and Raquel. They get the shoot done so as not to waste the trip.
While Raquel loses her mind watching lunatics butcher what’s left of June and fill a pot with her remains. The crew returns to the ghost town for a little adventure. The town is called Savage. But it’s not quite abandoned, they soon meet Mama Birdy (Dazelle Yvette), who tells them she bought the place and that it was indeed once abandoned. Unfortunately, with the building of the highway, her dreams of turning the place into a tourist attraction died but she and her family still live there. She welcomes her guests to stay and have a look around.
The crew ignores their instincts and stay. Charlie (Robert Felsted Jr.) thinks it’s all very weird but he’s high, so it’s also funny…for a while anyway. Ray (Mark Justice) and Jordy (Adam Bucci) take off to take some photos but soon, Ray hits the head and after listening to his intrusive thoughts and taking the glory hole for a spin, there he meets a painful and brutal end.
Jordy wanders off to take some photos and though he’s scared he throws all caution to the wind and enters an abandoned house. And hoping maybe the cameraman never dies, he enters a basement. It’s full of odd things including something or someone lurking…watching. It’s not long before the basement hatch closes behind him and whoever’s down there is chasing him. Jordy finds a way out but his camera doesn’t save him. His end is excruciating.
At another part of the town, Charlie finds Sunshine in a box and frees her but for someone who has enough sense to be afraid, he doesn’t have enough to save himself.
And while all that was happening, Roxy (Adrian McLean) and Adam (Ben Kaplan) are taking a romantic stroll, that is interrupted by a masked giant with a chainsaw named Brutus (Bishop Ali Stevens). Adam is hurt bad, so Roxy runs for help. But all she finds are lunatics wearing scary masks. And Sunshine. Who Roxy now knows is not on her side. Roxy knocks her out and gets the keys to the van but she’s too late.
•
This family is not just normal people living in a ghost town, they are a cult. Comprised of people who feel like the deck is stacked against them because the world is insane. And they decided Roxy is the chosen one.
Roxy, who is being kept in a cage, sows dissent between Sunshine and the masked man guarding her, Phoenix, who are an item. Roxy knows a secret and she simply lets jealousy take its course.
A church bell rings and all of the town’s inhabitants arrive at the church, all masked, all awaiting their becoming. Roxy is wheeled in, tied to a chair. Mama Birdy stands at the front, masked and winged. She explains what is happening here and invites Roxy to join the family.
Then Raquel is walked in, still wearing a collar and chain. She’s very different now. She takes the knife, stabs Roxy, earning her freedom and membership within the family. But Roxy isn’t done yet. Neither is the family and their ghoulish antics. One more thing, Adam isn’t dead.
…don’t forget to watch past the credits…