Solvent

Dropping just days before Austria's election, Solvent, directed by Johannes Grenzfurthner, couldn't feel more relevant. The country is dealing with the alarming rise of the far-right FPÖ in the lead-up to the general election on September 29. Oskar Deutsch, President of the Israelitische Kultusgemeinde (IKG) Wien, has raised the alarm about the party's connections to nationalist Burschenschaften (fraternities) with ties to Nazi ideology. His warning that the FPÖ's growing success feels "threatening to many" casts a dark shadow over the film's eerie dive into history and guilt.

Solvent centers on Gunner S. Holbrook, an American expat played by Jon Gries, who gets caught up in a twisted hunt for Nazi documents in an old Austrian farmhouse. As Holbrook spirals deeper into his obsession with uncovering hidden evils, the farmhouse (chosen by Grenzfurthner for personal reasons) becomes a metaphor for Austria's messy, shattered past. Holbrook's descent into madness is a reflection of a society still struggling to deal with its own historical Gepäck (baggage).

Grenzfurthner amps up the horror with grotesque body transformations and intense psychological tension, making for a film that's as terrifying as it is symbolic. Holbrook's twisted metamorphosis symbolizes how unaddressed guilt and silence can warp both individuals and societies. Pieter de Graaf's haunting score adds to the creepy atmosphere, while the practical effects hit hard with a gritty, visceral feel.

With its themes of guilt, memory, and authority, Solvent is hitting home at a time when Austria is dealing with a resurgence of political extremism and disturbing new waves of anti-Semitism. It's a bold and artistic response to the fears hanging over Austria right now, reminding us all of the dangers that come with ignoring history.

The film's relentless focus on excrement as a symbol of historical denial is both grotesque and brilliant. Urine becomes an agent of malevolence, black fluids ooze like unrepentant guilt, and the farmstead itself festers as a monument to suppressed horrors. Grenzfurthner's imagery ties Austria's cultural PTSD to the grotesque, confronting viewers with the visceral ugliness of unprocessed guilt.

Anchored by Gries' and Cwen's performances, Solvent is a haunting meditation on complicity and denial. Its daring fusion of body horror and political critique makes it an unflinching excavation of a nation's soiled conscience.

The real star here is the film's atmosphere: dank, claustrophobic, and crawling with unease. Gries' portrayal of a man unraveling under the weight of history is haunting, and the film's surreal visual language amplifies its themes of guilt and repression. A bold, provocative take on the consequences of buried (and current) atrocities, Solvent challenges us to confront the past with a grotesque honesty rarely seen in cinema.

The film's POV style immerses viewers in a sense of dread that builds gradually, pulling us deeper into the protagonist's crumbling psyche. As we watch his unraveling, the lines between personal guilt and collective responsibility blur, creating a powerful commentary on how societies often suppress their darkest moments. The meticulous attention to detail in the sound design and cinematography creates an almost tactile experience.

Solvent doesn't offer easy answers; instead, it forces the audience to sit with discomfort, asking us to question our own complicity in systems of repression. Gries' performance is a masterclass in subtlety, conveying a man at war with himself, while the film's disturbing imagery stays with you long after the credits roll. It's a visceral, uncompromising work that defies genre expectations, leaving an indelible mark on both the horror and psychological thriller landscape.

This was a film that I got the chance to see in the 8 PM slot of day 2 at Nightmares Film Festival. The writer/director/co-star was in attendance, Johannes Grenzfurthner, and he's a character. I've seen one of his previous films at the festival, so I was buckling in to see what we'd get here. I read the synopsis ahead of seeing this as well. This was the North American premiere as well.

Synopsis: while searching for Nazi documents in an Austrian farmhouse, a team of experts uncover a hidden secret buried in its bowels. An American expatriate becomes obsessed with solving the mystery and as his sanity wanes, he must confront an insatiable evil.

We start this with a quote about water and how it holds memories. This then introduces us to the team that is searching. Gunner S. Holbrook (Jon Gries) is the American expatriate who is part of the team. It is led though by Krystyna Szczepanska (Aleksandra Cwen). Her team includes Fredi Weinhappl (Roland Gratzer), Cornelia Dunzinger (Jasmin Hagendorfer) and a couple of others. The house and land belongs to Ernst Bartholdi (Grenzfurthner). It was his grandfather's but he disappeared. He was a Nazi so Krystyna believes there are important documents that were left behind. The house hasn't been lived in for years. It is full of mold, water damage and other hazards. They're taking the proper precautions to be safe.

When they don't find anything, all seems lost. That is until a neighbor stops by. What is interesting here is that he grew up with Ernst. Since the grandson moved away years ago and hasn't been back, he forgot about another part of the property. This is the wine cellar. Inside, they find a strange pipe. This drives Krystyna mad. Cornelia gets hurt and this ends the search. Gunner can't give up though, he must know where the documents are. He will continue without the proper clearances. What he finds will change him forever.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I'll start here is by saying that this doesn't have the deepest story. It doesn't need it either. What is more important here are the visuals. I'll jump into talking about the filmmaking then as well. Grenzfurthner used to make odd documentaries and I love that he's used techniques from there to make movies that are just visually incredible. He does more there with than with the actual story. It just works so well. The cinematography, framing and editing are great here. This is also found-footage, in that our characters are carrying cameras or they're attached to them. The latter helps with keeping the realism in it as well.

Now that I've gone through that, I do like the basic premise here. Nazi documents are still quite important and what they're searching for here is the location of a mass grave to a camp that was the precursor to Auschwitz. That is horrific and it frames Wolfgang Zinggl (Otto Zucker) in such a negative light. That part of the story alone is great. There is a supernatural angle here where characters are going insane. I love what the reveal is there and seeing it having its effects on others. I'm not going to spoil it, but I'll say it involves water. It is also associated with mob mentality as well.

Then to make this work, you need actors who can bring characters to life. I didn't realize until writing this that Gries was Gunner. That is hilarious actually and it is roles like this that make you realize how good an actor he is. We don't see his face but hear his voice. Hearing that determination develop into mania for finding the truth is great. Cwen and the rest of them were good as well. For their performances, it is hearing their voices which works. Part of it is fear during that opening sequence. It is creepy when you hear certain phrases said or a change in their voice that adds something. Grenzfurthner is also solid in his role as well.

Since this is more about what you see and hear, I go to my closing thoughts. This is a film that is simple in its approach. The horror is built from the visuals and sound design, which I want to credit Grenzfurthner for being able to do. The acting is good. They bring personality to their characters and then hearing the terror as they descend into madness is great. Using Nazis and their history adds something as well since they're up there as one of the ultimate villains. This won't be for everyone, but if what I said sounds interesting, I'd recommend giving it a chance for sure.

My Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

A striking mix of psychological horror and raw gore that tackles Austria's dark past head-on. The story centers on Holbrook, an American retrieval expert obsessed with finding hidden Nazi documents in a crumbling farmhouse. As his mind begins to unravel, he encounters an ancient evil tied to Austria's lingering wartime guilt.

Adding a personal edge, the film was shot entirely on director Johannes Grenzfurthner's actual grandfather's abandoned farm. This hauntingly real setting, along with family photos portraying the sinister Wolfgang Zinggl and his grandson, brings a disturbing authenticity to the already eerie story.