Katalin Varga (DVD)

It's difficult to provide a synopsis of Katalin Varga without giving the game away: it's a slow-burning thriller in which the details of its back story are gradually revealed, and it's only 82 minutes long. For our purposes, then, it'll do simply to identify it broadly as a revenge drama, in which a woman, banished from her village, travels across the Romanian countryside with her son with the intention of settling an old score.

British director Peter Strickland has stated that a major influence on his work is David Lynch, and that's most immediately evident here in the film's brilliant sound design. A scene, for example, in which Varga stares in horror at the darkness of a forest as her son wanders towards it, accompanied by a terrifyingly persistent rumbling sound, could be straight out of Twin Peaks. Crucially, though, Strickland is as distinctive as he is derivative: slow zooms, late reveals and the occasional seeming-non-sequitur all contribute to the flavour.

Katalin Varga is an undoubtedly grim and often genuinely unpleasant film, even though little to no actual violence is shown onscreen. For all that, it's always visually engaging, inviting even, with its pleasantly grainy photography. Its slightly unnatural colouring often creates a sense of heightened reality, and despite the cars, mobile phones and contemporary clothing, the film's world has an oddly timeless feel to it. Early on, the upbeat folk music played during a dance around a campfire and the choral, ethereal music on the soundtrack make for an eerie, compellingly disjointed combination. The emphasis is kept on atmosphere throughout, and it's a startling experience.

It's refreshing to see a film that makes its point so briefly, and Katalin Varga is marvellously effective given the constraint of its running time. However, the characterisation of Varga's son does suffer a little because of this. Varga herself is just ambiguous enough, a great feat of subtlety by both Strickland and the excellent Hilda Péter; but the boy is rather two-dimensional and could have done with some more fleshing out, especially because of the emotional weight his character bears during the closing scenes.

The overall impression is of an imperfect but thoroughly engrossing film; a promising effort from a clearly talented first-time writer/director. The 'difficult second movie' will surely be one to watch. Péter's nuanced, versatile performance shows that she's worth keeping an eye on too.

Overall Verdict: A very good début film that convincingly creates a lasting, unsettling atmosphere in less than an hour and a half.

Special Features:
Commentary by Peter Strickland and Ian Hayden Smith
The Making of Katalin Varga
Interview with Peter Strickland
Stills gallery
Trailer

Reviewer: Tom René