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Book of Revelation, The

4/10

Stars: Tom Long, Greta Scacchi, Colin Friels, Anna Torv, Deborah Mailman

Director: Ana Kokkinos

Far too long, and slow to the point of catalepsy - simple shots are 'held' for ages - this voyeur-conscious Australian slice of shock-erotica spotlights lugubrious Long as Daniel, a dancer who's out buying cigarettes for his girlfriend/co-star (Torv) when he's abducted by three women in hoods, cloaks and masks and made a prisoner for their sexual gratification - chained up in a disused basement while they, or two of them at least, perform various sexual acts on him.

We see Daniel peeing himself, but whether the women feed him over the ensuing 12 days is left unsaid - I guess there's enough mucky things here to be going on with, if nothing you might not see on Channel 4 after 11pm.

Why Daniel, after returning a broken man, doesn't go straight to the police, or his employer (Sacchi) not make greater attempts to find out what happened, is all pretty baffling, but, in a film whose contact with reality is this tenuous, perhaps it doesn't matter. At any rate, Daniel now fiercely beds any woman within reach, partly to expiate his guilt and memories, partly searching for any of his three kidnappers. Will he ever find them? Do we care? The fact that the girlfriend and chief abuser are played by the same actress only adds to our level of bafflement.

For those not just along for the copious displays of skin, male and female, there are also some striking dance sequences, which are the best things in the film.

David Quinlan

USA 2006. UK Distributor: The Works. Colour by Atlab.
118 minutes. Not widescreen. UK certificate: 18.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 3, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 1, Swearing 3.

Review date: 21 Mar 2008