After witnessing a brutal murder, a woman finds herself targeted by a misogynistic serial killer who uses his religion as an excuse to butcher women. 'Cold Hell (2017)' is a gritty neo-noir thriller clearly inspired by works such as 'Taxi Driver (1976)', especially in its bluesy score. It's downbeat and gritty, though it does have moments of levity sprinkled throughout, and it deals with some tough subject matter in a compelling way. The lead character is especially stoic but you're always on her side, even when she makes some questionable decisions, and her dark past is revealed to us slowly but surely over the course of the narrative. Her typically unspoken backstory gives good reason for her to be as guarded as she is, adding a layer of subtext to the closed-off performance by a consistently good, if not flashy, Violetta Schurawlow. There are several well-choreographed fights and chases that have an appropriate amount of weight to them, with the violence typically being brutal and crunchy. It gets you on the edge of your seat on more than one occasion. Often, you can't help but get a little giddy, I suppose, when the protagonist is bashing a bad guy's head in; it's not fun violence, don't get me wrong, but it's good to see the often battered lead finally get her own back. One thing that is good about the piece is the fact that the hero knows how to handle herself right from the off, yet is still fallible to the same mistakes anyone would make if being hunted by a monstrous killer. Just because she knows how to fight doesn't mean she isn't scared of the concept of someone trying to end her life. It's a fine-tuned dynamic that undeniably adds believability to the plot. The picture, of course, isn't perfect. It is rather slow and, even, somewhat repetitive in its mid-section, almost becoming a different type of film to what you'd expect. This isn't too detrimental, since the thing is always entertaining and engaging, but it does lose a little bit of steam before it picks up the pace again for its final act. Still, the flick is effective overall. It's a solid thriller that easily keeps you watching from beginning to end. 7/10.
