Agoni

Director - Ryan Logsdon
Starring - Sarah M, Joey M,and Mel L
Release Date - 2015
Genre - Horror
Format - DVD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     The last few weeks I have tried to get away from all the distributed films that I have found myself reviewing over and over again and get back into reviewing real independent flicks that are mostly self distributed.  This was what brought me to Horror Society and over the two years I have been here I have drifted away from this and found myself in a rut where I was only reviewing movies sent to me from distribution companies.  I started a campaign to scour social media and find any and all indie horror films I could find.  One of the first films I found was Agoni.  I saw a few horror groups talk about this film so I reached out to the film's Facebook page.  Director Ryan Logsdon was nice enough to send a review copy my way.  Thanks Ryan for allowing Horror Society and myself a chance to check this one out!

     The film follows the video recordings found at a crime scene that is now the property of Agoni County.  On the recordings we follow a killer who hides his face behind the camera as he kills various members of the community.  Along for the ride is a very beautiful young girl who draws their victims to her home in one way or another, promising drugs or family visits, where the two torture, mutilate and kill those that are unfortunate enough to cross them.
   
   

     Agoni is one I had never really heard of until finding it plastered in several horror groups but the film's artwork gave very little away in the way of the film's story.  The only real insight I had into the film was the quote from filmmaker Keith Voijt Jr. on the back of the DVD that did inform me that the film was a found footage type flick following a killer.  The quote I am referring to made reference to Fred Vogel's August Underground which is a snuff style found footage flick. Having never seen AU, I was a little excited and anxious about checking it out.  The acting in this one is a little weak.  Most of the cast tries to act as natural as possible and carry on a casual conversation before the bloodshed.  This resulted in awkward scenes that had little to no atmosphere and lacked suspense.  The girls are beautiful, very beautiful, but their acting was a little flat.  The guys in the film had a little more casual feel than the girls but only one has a real character established and that is the druggie with AIDS.  He was the only one with a real back story and demeanor and the actor who portrayed him did a decent job.  The story for this one is one we have seen countless times before but very few went to the level this one did.  The film follows the found footage mold following video found at the scene of a series of murders.  This has been done before with the films August Underground and The Cohassett Snuff Film.  The story has been done before but Agoni went an unusual path and gave the story a few unnerving moments that will make you feel uncomfortable or question your humanity.  I will not go into further detail into this for fear of giving away these two scenarios because they both pack a punch when you see them.  Finally, the film has a few on screen kills but the camera work is not there once again keeping with the snuff film style.  Most are out of frame and so forth so we don't really get to fully enjoy the killer's handy work.  We do not get to fully enjoy the gore and blood that we have come to love from the typical snuff inspired film.  Overall, Agoni is a solid watch from first time filmmaker Ryan Logsdon.  The film goes further than most found footage films are comfortable going and the gamble pays off.  The film is an uncomfortable watch during a few scenes that honestly made me shudder.  Check this one out as soon as possible.